344 PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. [aNNO I/SQ. 



aspect of the country. Another, several days journey from hence, is on the brow 

 of a hill perpetually covered with snow. This hot well is held in great estima- 

 tion by the people of the country, and resorted to by valetudinarians of every 

 description. 



Tassesudon to Paraghon, Sept. 8 and 9. Much good rich soil, with more 

 pasture, where the ground is not cultivated, than we had yet met with. Many 

 fields of turnips in great perfection ; a plant they seem better acquainted with 

 the cultivation of than any other. Find on the road many large and well thriving 

 birch, willows, pines, and firs, some walnut-trees, the arbutus uva ursi, abun- 

 dance of strawberry, elderberry, bilberry, chrysanthemum or greater daisy, and 

 many European grasses. See the datura ferox or thorn apple, a plant common 

 in China and some parts of Thibet, where it is used medicinally. They find it 

 a powerful narcotic, and give the seeds where they wish that effect to be produced. 

 It has been used as a medicine in Europe, and is known to possess these qualities 

 in a high degree. See holly, dog-rose, and aspen. The present crop near Pa- 

 raghon, on the banks of the Pachu, is rice, but not so far advanced as at Tas- 

 sesudon ; the same may be said of their fi-uits. They say it is colder here at all 

 seasons than at Tassesudon, which is certainly below the level of this place. 

 Towards the summit of the mountain we crossed, found some rock of a curious 

 appearance, forming in front 6 or 7 angular semi-pillars, of a great circumference, 

 and some hundred feet high. This natural curiosity was detached in part from 

 the mountain, and projected over a considerable fall of water, which added much 

 to the beautiful and picturesque appearance of the whole. Numerous springs, 

 some degrees colder than the surrounding atmosphere, gushing from the rock on 

 the most elevated part of the mountain, furnish a very ample and seasonable 

 supply of excellent water to the traveller. The rock, in many places laminated, 

 might be formed into very tolerable slate. Near to Paraghon iron stones are 

 found, and one spring highly impregnated with this mineral. 



Road to Dukaigun, Sept. 11. Our road to Dukaigun, nearly due north, is 

 a continued ascent for 8 miles, along the banks of the Pachu, falling over nume- 

 rous rocks, precipices, and huge stones. Here we begin to experience a very 

 considerable change in the temperature of the atmosphere; the surrounding hills 

 were covered with snow in the morning, which had fallen the preceding night, 

 but disappeared soon after sunrise. The thermometer fell to 54° in the after- 

 noon, and did not rise above 62^ at noon. The face of the mountains, in some 

 places bare, with projecting rock of many different forms; quartz, flint, and a 

 bad sort of freestone, common. Many very good springs, slightly impregnated 

 with a selenitic earth. The soil is rich, and near the river in great cultivation. 

 Many horses, the staple article of their trade, are bred in this part of the country. 

 Found walnut-trees, peaches, apples, and pears. 



