1839.] Capt. VembertorCs Mission to Bootan, 1837-38. 213 



houses I remarked vestiges of the cultivation of tobacco and Probosa.* 

 In the vallies however surrounding this place there seemed to be a good 

 deal of cultivation, of what nature distance prevented me from ascer- 

 taining. 



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 continued 

 so for sometime; we then commenced winding round spurs cloth- 

 ed 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 

 continued without interruption until we reached a small torrent. 

 Crossing this, we again ascended slightly to descend to the Dimree 

 river, one of considerable size, but fordable. The ascent recom- 

 menced immediately, 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 

 neighbourhood 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 unin- 

 terruptedly to the bed of the Geeri, a small torrent, along which we 

 found the vegetation to be tropical ; ascending thence about 500 feet, 

 we descended again to the torrent, up the bed of which we proceeded 

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

 until we reached Bulphai. The path was generally narrow, 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 rhododen- 

 drons, both generally in a stunted state. We reached Bulphai late in 

 the evening ; and the latter part of the march was very uncomfortable 

 owing to the cutting severity of the wind. The vegetation 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 



* Ekusine coracana. 



