1839.] Capt. Pembertoris Mission to Bootan, 1837-38. 223 



by fir woods, and we continued through similar tracts until within 

 1000 feet of our halting place, to which we descended over bare 

 sward. 



The march, which was one of thirteen miles, lasted nine hours ; 

 the greatest ascent was nearly 4000 feet, the greatest descent nearly 

 5000 feet. It was with great difficulty that many of our followers 

 succeeded in effecting it : with the usual apathy of natives, they 

 wanted to remain in a ruined log hut, at an elevation of 12,500 feet, 

 without food, instead of pushing on. Capt. Pemberton very properly eject- 

 ed them all, and when once they had passed the snow, they regained a 

 good deal of their miserable spirit. The road throughout the ascent 

 was buried in snow, the depth of which alone enabled us to cross one 

 very bad place where the constructed road appeared to have given 

 way, and at which most of our ponies had narrow escapes. On the 

 descent the snow became scanty at 9500 feet, and at 9000 feet dis- 

 appeared almost entirely, lingering only in those places which through- 

 out the day remain obscured in shade. 



From the summit of Rodoola a brief gleam of sunshine gave us a 

 bird's-eye view of equally lofty ridges running in every direction, all 

 covered with heavy snow. 



The vegetation of the ascent was very varied, the woods consisting 

 of oaks, rhododendrons, and bamboos, up to nearly 11,000 feet. 

 Beyond this the chief tree was the black fir; junipers, alpine poly- 

 gonums, a species of rhubarb, and many other alpine forms presented 

 themselves in the shape of the withered remains of the previous season 

 of active vegetation. That on the descent was less varied, the trees 

 being nearly limited to three species of pines, of which the black fir 

 scarcely descended below 11,600 feet, when it was succeeded by a more 

 elegant larchlike species, which I believe is Pinus Smithiana ; this 

 again ceased toward an altitude of 9500 feet, when its place was occu- 

 pied by Pinus excelsa, now a familiar form. 



We found Bhoomlungtung to occupy a portion of rather a fine val- 

 ley. The village is of moderate size, but of immoderate filth, only 

 exceeded in this respect by its tenants, to whom no other Booteas could 

 come near in this, as it would seem, necessary qualification of an in- 

 habitant of a cold, bleak, mountainous country ; it is situated on the 

 left bank of a good sized stream. We were lodged in the chief house, 

 but were annoyed beyond measure by the smoke arising from a con- 

 tiguous cook room, in which operations were going on day and night. 

 The valley is not broad, but is two or three miles in length : it is 

 surrounded on all sides, but especially to the south and east by lofty 

 mountains. The elevation of Bhoomlungtung is nearly 870*0 feet, 



