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



through brushwood immediately behind the bungalow for about 4,000 

 feet, or 10,000 above the sea, and in about two miles enters the 

 forest of pindrow, yew, maple, white-beam, Cerasus cornuta, Co- 

 toneaster affinis (Rous) and acuminata, with occasional glades covered 

 with the richest beds of flowers, Potentilla atrosanguinea, Anemone dis- 

 color, Geranium wallichianum, Aplotaxis aurita, Spiraea kamtchatkica, 

 Campanula latifolia, Ranunculus, &c. In the forest we find Erysimum 

 alliaria, Strobilanthes wallichii, Nepeta govaniana, Aconitum palma- 

 tum, Callimeris flexuosa, and a species of Diplopappus resembling it, 

 Senecio canescens, and a very elegant species, perhaps asplenifolius, also 

 common on the north side of Huttoo : on the rocks, Mulgedium macror- 

 hiza, Saxifraga ligulata, mucronulata, and another : and under the 

 shadiest crags, the may-apple of N. America, Podophyllum emodi, 

 and the enchanter's night-shade, Circsea intermedia, whose only connec- 

 tion with the black art seems to be the fact of its loving the absence of 

 the sun. The views of the Chumba and Koolloo snowy ranges are 

 magnificent, seen over and through the primeval forest, with the great 

 range of Mundee to the right or north, the base covered with villages 

 and cultivation, and the crest reaching up to about 1 1 ,000 feet, reported 

 to afford cedar of the first dimensions. Huttoo lies on the left hand, 

 and, latterly, Shallee, Muhasoo, and Simla, in front. At an abrupt 

 turn, a path strikes down to the right towards the Sutluj and Koolloo, 

 which must be carefully avoided, as well as another a little further on 

 to the left, which will equally, though not so fatally, mislead the way- 

 farer, and beguile him of his summum-bonum, which, under present 

 circumstances, is probably his breakfast. A convenient and most 

 romantic spot for this is on some crags about half way, where there is 

 a small spring just below the path to the north. So far the difficulties 

 of this route have consisted mainly in the fallen trees ; but beyond this, 

 both in and out of the forest, it becomes so rocky in several places, as 

 to be totally inaccessible to ponies, and very difficult to jumpans. On 

 leaving the forest, there is a rapid descent of about 600 feet to some 

 crags, under which a multitude of sheep are tended, and on which will 

 be found a very pretty white Sedum or Sempervivum, and the shrubby 

 Polygonum graminifolium : after this four miles of pleasant walking 

 along and down the southern and grassy face of the mountains, latterly 

 through cultivation, lead to Muteeana bungalow, 7,900 feet, which 



