366 The Turaee aud Outer Mountains of Kumaoon. [May, 



more correctly in my opinion, considers the last to be B. aristata — the 

 " Chotra" of Kumaoon. Both species are extremely common all over 

 the Province, from which it would appear that Roxburgh obtained his 

 specimens. In the List of Materia Medica before alluded to Dr. Royie 

 also mentions B. asiatica (No. 240,) as growing in the Hills. The ety- 

 mology and the consent of the Pundits of Kumaoon proves that this, 

 and not Curcuma xanthorhiza, is the Sancrit " Daroo-huridra," the 

 Persian " Dar-huld" " Yellow wood" of which Rusot (S. Rusangjun) is 

 the extract. Kushmul is from Kushayu, extract, and mull, having. 



Nasturtium officinale : " Peeria." Abundant at Jiaree and Seetabun, 

 as it is also in the streams at Pinjore, where it might be turned to some 

 account for the troops at Kussowlee, &c. One is surprised to meet this, 

 and other north of Europe plants, as Ranunculus sceleratus, Veronica 

 Anagallis, &c. only at very inferior elevations in the mountains : they 

 disappear between 4000 and 5000 feet : a circumstance which may be 

 accounted for by the diminished pressure of the atmosphere, as hinted 

 by Humboldt. 



Adiantum capillus veneris and A. rhizophorum. 



Eriophorum comosum : "Babur." 



December 8. To Nynee Tal, 12 or 14 miles, involving an ascent of 

 4475 feet, of which a considerable portion is steep and continuous to 

 the Ulmah ka khan Pass, 7431 feet above Calcutta, according to the 

 Trigonometrical Surveyors, but 200 feet less by the observations of 

 Lieut. R. Strachey of the Engineers, whose determination of heights 

 in this quarter will be marked by his initials. 



Quitting the Kosilla at Munjera, and ascending for about two miles, 

 the road diverges, one branch to the S. W. leading by the Gagur Fort 

 on the Budhan Binaik, towards Chilkiya Mundee : this pass is about 

 7200 feet above the Sea, the encampment between Munjera and Kotah 

 being at Mehula, an incovenient spot a few hundred feet below the 

 crest, southward ; the other branch proceeds due south to Nynee Tal. 

 A more interesting, though somewhat difficult route follows the bed of 

 the Khyrna, disclosing scenery wild and beautiful, with much of the 

 character of the Sewalik Passes. At about three miles from the Khyr- 

 na Bridge, the Ramgar (Khyrna) stream is left to the east, and a mile 

 farther, the Ninglath or Shamkhet stream, in the same direction, the 

 course of which is completely misrepresented in the Trigonometrical 



