214 Capt. Pemberton's Mission to Bootan, 1837-38. [March, 



sheltered place, and elevated to 6800 feet above the sea. The sur- 

 rounding mountains are very barren on their southern faces, while on 

 the northern, or sheltered side, very fine oak woods occur. The houses 

 were of a better order than those at Sasee, and altogether superior to 

 those of Khegumpa. They are covered in with split bamboos, which 

 are secured by rattans, a precaution rendered necessary by the great 

 violence of the winds, which at this season blow from the south or 

 south-east. Bulphai is a bitterly cold place in the winter, and there 

 is scarcely any mode of escaping from its searching winds. The vege- 

 tation is altogether northern, the woods consisting principally of a 

 picturesque oak, scarcely ever found under an elevation of 6000 feet. 

 There is one small patch of cultivation, thinly occupied by abortive 

 turnips or radishes, and miserable barley. It was at this place that 

 we first heard the very peculiar crow of true Bootan cocks, most of 

 which are afflicted with enormous corns. 



On the 31st we resumed our journey, ascending at first a ridge 

 to the N. E. of Bulphai, until we reached a pagoda, the elevation 

 of which proved to be nearly 8000 feet ; and still above this rose to 

 the height of about 10,000 feet a bold rounded summit, covered with 

 brown and low grass. Skirting this at about the same level as the 

 pagoda, we came on open downs, on which small dells, tenanted 

 by well defined oak woods were scattered. After crossing these downs, 

 which were of inconsiderable extent, we commenced to descend, and 

 continued doing so until we came to Roongdoong. About a third of 

 the way down we passed a village containing about twenty houses, 

 with the usual appendage of Sam Gooroo's residence ; and still lower 

 we came upon a picturesque temple, over which a beautiful weeping 

 cypress hung its branches. We likewise passed below this a large 

 temple raised on a square terraced basement. From this the descent 

 is very steep, until a small stream is reached, from which we ascended 

 very slightly to the castle of Roongdoong, in the loftiest part of which we 

 took up our quarters. From the time that we descended after crossing 

 the downs, the country had rather an improved aspect, some cul- 

 tivation being visible here and there. We met a good many Kampas, 

 pilgrims, and one chowry tailed cow, laden with rock salt, which 

 appears to be the most frequent burden. 



There was more cultivation about Roongdoong than any other place 

 we had yet seen, although even here it was scanty enough. It would 

 appear that they grow rice in the summer, and barley or wheat during 

 the winter ; and this would seem to be the case in all those places of 

 sufficient altitude where the fields were terraced. The elevation of 

 the place is 5175 feet, yet a few orange trees appeared to flourish ; 



