1838.] in the Himalayan range. 811 



horse chesnut, alder, poplars and elms, interspersed with pretty villages 

 of which the chief ornament, at this season, are the fields of red Marsa, 

 (the Battd of Bissehr) a species of amaranth, while the high craggy 

 northern mountains and peaks, that form the separating ridge between 

 Badrindth and Niti, come down to the Dhauli in the most terrific 

 precipices. Above the Rini, both sides of the glen assume the regular 

 Himalayan features of wild sublimity, although villages are every where 

 seen perched up on seemingly inaccessible heights. The river remains 

 broad and deep, though often broken into cataracts. The road (a fine 

 new one made by myself this year) is carried on either side of the river 

 as most easy, and is crossed by fine Sangas. We soon enter Bhote ; and 

 flocks upon flocks of sheep carrying loads of grain, or salt and borax 

 according as they are from Bhote or to Bhote, are met with at every 

 step, guarded by the savage dogs of Thibet and the still more savage 

 Bhotias among whom are also discerned a few most savage Lamias, or 

 wandering beggars from Tar tart/. Of the latter the dress and appear- 

 ance are most strange ; the women are scarcely human, and both they 

 and the men resemble the pictures given of the Esquimaux. The 

 children are rosy-cheeked and sometimes pretty, but the small Chinese 

 eyes buried in the face give a somewhat monkey-like look to their 

 physiognomy. This latter observation applies equally to the Bhotias 

 as to the Lamias. But I refer you to Traill's report on Bhote for a 

 description of the people and their customs, as well as of the trade between 

 this province and Thibet, and the mode in which it is conducted. Let 

 me rather tell you what Traill does not describe with accuracy, or at 

 least with minuteness, viz., the rocks and the trees and the general 

 geography. There is a very dreary glen without villages for ten or 

 twelve miles separating Upper from Lower Pynkanda, or as they are 

 sometimes, but improperly, called Upper and Lower Niti. After leaving 

 the oaks and elms, &c, the wood becomes entirely cypress, and from 

 summit to base of the mountains no other tree is seen. The larger 

 trees attain not unfrequently an enormous size, some of them hav- 

 ing a girth of 27 feet. The smaller kind are, however, the prettiest, 

 and even appear to be different from the larger in species ; but on 

 observing them attentively I perceived no difference whatever in reality 

 between what some travellers call the Arbor vitce and the large 

 Himalayan cypress. At Juma, Upper Pynkanda is entered, and then 

 the scenery, retaining all its grandeur, also becomes exquisitely lovely. 

 Villages of the true Swiss character are seen on every open spot, 

 surrounded by cedar trees, and overhung by crags of the most stupen- 

 dous character wooded up to the snow which shines on their summits, 

 2 R 



