428 Information respecting Botanical Travellers, 



and Probosa*. In the valleys however surrounding this place there 

 seemed to be a good deal of cultivation, of what nature distance pre- 

 vented me from ascertaining. 



25th. Left for Sasee. We commenced by descending gradually 

 until we had passed through a forest of oaks, resembling much our 

 well-known English oak ; then the descent became steep, and con- 

 tinued so for some time ; we then commenced winding round spurs 

 clothed with humid and sub-tropical vegetation ; continuing at the 

 same elevation we subsequently came on dry open ridges, covered 

 with rhododendrons. The descent recommenced on our reaching a 

 small temple, about which the long-leaved fir was plentiful, and con- 

 tinued without interruption until we reached a small torrent. Cross- 

 ing this, we again ascended slightly to descend to the Dimree river, 

 one of considerable size, but fordable. The ascent recommenced im- 

 mediately, and continued uninterruptedly at first through tropical 

 vegetation, then through open rhododendron and fir woods, until we 

 came close upon Sasee, to which place we descended very slightly. 

 This march occupied us the whole day. After leaving the neigh- 

 bourhood of Khegumpa we saw no signs of cultivation ; the country, 

 except in some places, was arid ; coarse grasses, long-leaved firs, 

 and rhododendrons forming the predominating vegetation. We 

 halted at Sasee, which is a ruined village, until the 28th. The little 

 cultivation that exists about it is of barley, buckwheat, and hemp. 



28th. We commenced our march by descending steeply and un- 

 interruptedly to the bed of the Geeri, a small torrent, along which 

 we found the vegetation to be tropical ; ascending thence about 5000 

 feet, we descended again to the torrent, up the bed of which we pro- 

 ceeded for perhaps a mile ; the ascent then again commenced, and 

 continued until we reached Bulphai. The path was generally nar- 

 row, running over the flank of a mountain whose surface was much 

 decomposed ; it was of such a nature that a slip of any sort would in 

 many places have precipitated one several hundred feet. The face 

 of the country was very barren, the trees consisting chiefly of firs 

 and rhododendrons, both generally in a stunted state. The vege- 

 tation was not interesting until we came on a level with Bulphai, 

 when we came on oaks and some other very northern plants. We 

 were well accommodated in this village, which is a very small one, 

 situated in a somewhat sheltered place, and elevated to 6800 feet 

 above the sea. The surrounding mountains are very barren on their 

 southern faces, while on the northern, or sheltered side, very fine 



* Eleusine coracana. 



