48 DR. HOOKER'S MISSION TO INDIA. 
was carried to the bottom, with only one short rest, in three-quarters 
of an hour. The descent was very steep the whole way, partl 
literal stairs of sharp rock, where one of the men cut his foot severely. 
The pathway at the bottom was lined for nearly a quarter of a mile 
with the sick, halt, maimed, lame, blind, awaiting our descent. It was 
truly a dreadful sight, especially the lepers and numerous unhappy 
beings, victims to elephantiasis. 
Interesting as the botany of Paras-Nath proved, its elevation did . 
not produce such a vegetation as might be expected, if the extraordi- 
nary amount of influence exerted by the dry climate and barren soil be 
left out of the question. A tropical growth advanced to the summit; 
and in some respects, as the increased proportion of Ferns, additional 
Epiphytal Orchideous plants, Begonias, and other species showed, its top 
indicated a more tropical flora than its base. On no part of the mountain 
grew any Palms (except the starveling Pheniz), nor were Tree-Ferns, 
Aroidea (Potthos), Peppers (the Betel is only a reputed native of the 
ill), Menispermacee, Guttifere, Vitis, Lawrinee or Scitaminee observed. 
All of these groups abound on the humid faces of the sub-Himalaya, 
in the same longitude and only three degrees further north, and are 
there, at 4,000 feet, succeeded by Rudi, Oaks, and the plants of a tem- 
perate region, none of which latter, or any other genus, except Berberis, 
Thalictrums and Clematis, and Disporum, indicated at the summit of 
Paras-Nath any approach to the flora of the temperate zones. 
In the evening we withdrew again to our Tamarind tree, and on the 
following morning regained the grand trunk-road, taking up our 
quarters at the Dawk Bungalow of Doomree. On the way I found the 
Cesalpinia paniculata (?) festooning the trees, a magnificent climber 
with deep green leaves and gorgeous racemes of orange blossoms. 
Receding from the mountain, the country again became barren, Acacia 
and Zizyphi prevailing. At Doomree (alt. 1,176 feet) the hills were 
of stratified primary rock with a great deal of quartz, and no Palms, 
or large trees of any kind appeared. The spear-grass abounds, and 
a detestable nuisance it is, its long awns and husked seed working 
through trowsers and stockings, till one’s limbs look as if stuck full of 
black pins. Balanites was not uncommon, forming a low thorny bush, 
with Ægle Marmelos and Feronia Elephantum. Having rested the tired 
elephant, we pushed on in the evening to the next stage, Baghodur, 
arriving there at 3 A.M. 
