106 Diary of an Excursion to the Shatool [No. 170. 



Kunawur, and is known about Rampoor, as the Gaha or Ungah. The 

 very jaw-breaking specific name is very justly applied. The Daphne 

 mucronata of Royle here becomes a common shrub, called jeekoo ; 

 and near Yana, I first met a species of Celtis, called koo, of which the 

 drupe, now ripening, of the size of a small cherry, is sweet and edible. 

 There are two species or varieties ; one a large tree called Ro-koo, with 

 black or dark purple fruit ; the other, Cho-koo, smaller, has yellow or 

 orange fruit. This, and not Elseagnus, as surmised by Royle, I take to 

 be the " red and mawkishly sweet berry," produced on a shrub in 

 Hungrung, as mentioned by Herbert (Asiatic Researches, XV. 392.) : 

 as his " yellow and acid berry about the size of a currant," is no doubt 

 the fruit of the Soorch (Hippophse salicifolia) . The Koo is pretty 

 common nearly up to Brooang, at Meeroo, &c. It has been mention- 

 ed to me by a friend as occurring under the name " Kaksi" near Jungee, 

 where, however, a subsequent enquirer could hear nothing of it : in all 

 likelihood because the first had been misinformed as to the name ; 

 " Kagshee" being the Cornus macrophylla, which has a leaf like the 

 Celtis. Both the Celtis and the Zizyphus have been identified with the 

 famous lotus of the Lotophagi ; but assuredly one may devour any 

 quantity of Koos or Bers, without risk of forgetting one's home and 

 friends. A little below Panwee, and generally up the left banks of the 

 Sutluj and Buspa to Brooang, at an average of 6,000 feet, there is abun- 

 dance of a species of oak, which I have not met elsewhere, though it 

 seems to be the Quercus cassura, of Don's Prcdromus. The leaves are 

 exceedingly waved and spinous, tomentose below (as are the cups of the 

 acorns, which are produced by six to eight) or solitary, on spikes or 

 peduncles of five or six inches. They are now nearly ripe. The tree 

 is called " Bre," but this seems to denote the genus only. Pinus 

 gerardiana is pretty common, but not very large on the crags, during 

 this day's journey : — and in the coppice, Abelia triflora occurs abundant- 

 ly, here called " Spung :" the " Takla" of Bulsun and Bhujee. 



From the river-bank, the path now ascends for two miles or so, to a 

 few hundred feet above its level : another rainy season will, to all 

 appearance, render it impassable, and it is now as dangerous as 

 can well be imagined, crossing a vast landslip with a most precarious 

 footing on loose sand and rocks, highly inclined, where each step 

 receives and requires more deliberation than an act of Parliament. 



