1839.] Capt. Pemberton's Mission to Bootan, 1837-38. 255 



as to the eastward again, it would appear to again become deficient : 

 it probably is irregular in its distribution, and depends consequently 

 on local causes. 



But while there is such difference in the amount of vegetation 

 along the tract at the base of the mountains, the vegetation on these 

 up to an elevation of 1600—3500 feet is uniformly scanty, except to 

 the westward, in which direction, as I have mentioned, they do not 

 differ in absolute amount from the well wooded mountains to be seen 

 elsewhere. 



Between Dewangiri and Punukka we found that the surface of 

 the' interior below 5000 feet in elevation was uniformly very barren, 

 and after crossing the ridge above Telagoung we found similar ap- 

 pearances, but with a very dissimilar vegetation, at elevations of 

 from 7000 to 1 1,000 feet, but they were by no means so uniform or so 

 general. Throughout the barren tracts* of the first of the above 

 portions of Bootan the vegetation consists for the most part of grasses, 

 among which a few low shrubs occur. The arboreous vegetation is 

 confined almost entirely to Pinus longifolia, which is very commonly 

 much stunted. The barren tracts to the westward of Telagoung were 

 remarked almost entirely along the Teemboo, the southern face of 

 the ravine of which was generally remarkably barren, even at very 

 considerable elevations. Grasses did not form here so predominant 

 a portion, shrubs on the contrary abounded, and among these the most 

 common perhaps was a species of Rosa, very much like the R sericea 

 of Royle's Illustrations. 



In Bootan it is only at high elevations, and under certain circum- 

 stances, among which aspect and especially humidity are the most 

 important, that the grand forests which have excited the admiration 

 of all travellers in the Himalayas to the westward, make their ap- 

 pearance. The requisite elevation is scarcely ever less than 7000, and 

 is generally about 8000—8500 feet ; at such, oaks, magnolias, rho- 

 dodendrons, and several species of firs attain to great perfection. Be- 

 tween, or on the borders of the woods, patches of swards, adorned in 

 the spring with beautiful herbaceous plants are frequently met with, 

 and form the prettiest object in the whole scenery of Bootan. The 

 vegetation of such, and of much higher elevations, is generally well 

 diversified, until indeed one reaches an elevation of 11,500 feet ; at 

 such I found it generally reduced to black firs, stunted junipers, 

 and shrubby rhododendrons, the bulk, as regards amount of species, 



* These lower mountains are very frequently curiously marked with transverse 

 ridges. These have much of the appearance of ancient terrace cultivation, but on 

 inquiry I was assured that such was not their origin. 



