De vos i ee ei iain 
THE HIMALAYAN MOUNTAINS. 21 
were in full flower. The ground was covered with a profusion of beautiful flowers, 
among which Primula denticulata and petiolaris, Potentilla atrosanguinea and splendens, 
with species of Trillium, Anemone, Ranunculus, Viola, Convallaria, Corydalis, Caltha, 
and Morina were chiefly conspicuous. Higher up, patches of snow were seen, 
and the Himalayan bamboo, which. had been levelled with the ground. The barometer 
stood at 21-324. Beyond this every thing had.a wintry aspect: the snow lay in masses 
though detached, having melted away from round the trunks of many trees and the 
blocks of gneiss rock. Few plants were even in leaf, but the Yew was in flower, and 
the Juniper seen straggling over the rocks, and Primulas peeping up in the warmer 
situations. At-first the Coniferé and other trees were intermixed with oaks, but latterly 
the oak alone (Quercus semecarpifolia) formed the forest. On emerging from this’ there 
is only a short ascent to the peak which formed the principal station in Captains 
Hodgson and Herbert’s survey.” 
‘«* The highest of the two. peaks of Choor (12,149 feet) was covered with snow and 
inaccessible. The second, composed of great granitic blocks, was like the other bare 
of trees, but the snow had melted from the more open places. The Juniper and Currant 
were the only shrubs; the sward looked perfectly brown and dried up. The withered 
ferns and other plants, such as Rhubarb, which had been levelled with the ground by 
the snow, were just putting forth new leaves, and some few were in flower, as Primula 
denticulata, a Saxifrage and Gentian. The Bearded Vulture, Raven, and Siberian Pika 
were seen. The atmosphere was clear and cold, the wind west. The thermometer 
ranged from 42° to 60°; and with a blackened bulb, rose to 120° when placed near the 
ground. The barometers in the twenty-four hours ranged from 19°7 to 19°8, indicating, 
when compared with simultaneous observations made at Calcutta, an elevation varying 
from 11,550 to 11,850, according to the hours selected for comparison, but not more 
than 11,460 when deduced from observations. made at Saharunpore. The height 
assigned in the survey is 11,689 feet. Nothing could be more magnificent than the 
view from: this culminating point,. having the plains of India indefinitely extended to 
the southward, and on the north the snowy peaks of the Himalaya towering even above 
this great height. On the northern face, the snow was observed to be lying in conti- 
nuous beds. At its lowest limit on the ridge, in descending, an observation was taken 
(Bar. 21.08, Ther. attd. 65°, Ther. detd. 56°), but in sheltered places it extended 
much lower.” 
‘« The most northern mountain. ascended was.a branch of that called Changshel, in 
lat. 31° 5’,. and no where were the trees more magnificent, consisting of Pine, Walnut, 
Birch, and Elm, with, as usual, Oaks and Pines. As plants were the principal objects 
of the excursion, the highest ridge of this mountain, at this time covered with snow, 
was not attempted to be ascended.” But as it was passed over by Capt. Herbert and 
Lieut. Gerard in the month of September, it will be interesting to give the result of 
their observations. Capt. H. describes Changshel ‘‘ as a ramification from the snowy 
range of great height, separating the waters of the Pabur and Roopin. Their path lay 
along 
