578 The Turaee and Outer Mountains of Kumaoon. [June, 



covers every rock, and Olea glandulosa (or compacta) forms a large 

 timber tree ; monkies and langoors* are innumerable, and no doubt a 

 proportion of tigers to feed on them ; the flesh of the monkey however 

 is said to be too pungent for the tiger. 



The Byala pass is described by Dr. McClelland to consist of argilla- 

 ceous and calcareous sandstones, which Dr. Falconer has since observed 

 to be in one spot greatly altered by a trap-dyke. The Belkhet valley 

 consists of greenstone and dolomite ; the mountains to the north exhi- 

 bit green and blue dolomite in vertical strata, with hornblende slate 

 near the Ludheea ; the summits are of gneiss and granite which last 

 Dr. McClelland found reposing on gniess and hornblende slate on the 

 S. W. declivity of Chhirapanee. 



The usual solitude of Belkhet is just now enlivened by considerable 

 numbers of families returniug with their cattle from the Bhabur ; seve- 

 ral parties of Darma Bhoteyas are also on the way back to their native 

 snows, their sheep and goats well laden with cloth, sugar, sweetmeets, 

 tobacco, and grain : not a man present with this party understands 

 a word of Hindoostanee or Hindooee. 



1 5 th March. — To Chhirapanee, 12 miles, which took the best of 

 my coolees 7, the worst 9 hours to accomplish : the elevation is pro- 

 bably from 7000 to 7500 feet, which gives about 5500 for the stage. 

 The route penetrates the entire zone of Pinus longifolia, and then enters 

 the region of Quercus incana and lanuginosa, Androsace lanuginosa, 

 and similar evidences of considerable elevation. In many spots the 

 mossy banks and Quercus incana were matted with Orchidese, amongst 

 which I recognized Cselogyne nitida, " Hurjoj," Phaius albus, Dendro- 

 bium Paxtonii, Octomeria spicata? " Guroor-punja ;" Oberonia iridi- 

 folia, and several others unknown. Near Chhirapanee at a probable 

 height of 7000 feet is a bed of Tulipa stellata, the most elevated spot 

 at which it has come under my observation ; its natural belt appears to 

 be from 3500 to 6000 feet above sea-line ; it certainly does not reach 

 near the limit of perpetual snow where Humboldt places it. (Cosmos 

 I. Note 4.) 



On leaving Belkhet, the road follows the right bank of Ludeea for 

 a mile or more, and then under a small village called Oopurkut, placed 

 on a cultivated plateau, crosses the stream where the entire width of 

 the glen is occupied by its channel of stones and huge boulders, the 



* Entellus. 



