MAMLOO, NONKKEEM. 



173 



Holcus, Andropogons. etc., begin to preponderate, and thence the 

 vegetation is nearly that of Churra. The woods of Mamloo consist 

 of Bucklandia, oaks, chesnuts, Panax, Hyalostemma, Eurya, and 

 Oleinece ; Epiphytes are very common. The most remarkable tree 

 is one foliis alternis bistipulat ; corymbis denis, Calycibus hinc fissis, 

 petalis 5-albis, Antherae sinuosse columna terminans, et ovarium et 

 stigma occultantes ? fructibus pendulis stipilatis ovato oblongis, 

 carpellis 5 -latere marginatus. 



This has some affinities apparently with Sterculiacese ; the flowers 

 are perhaps polygamous. 



Here Cypripedium insigne, Venustum, and various other fine Or- 

 chidese may be found. 



The only bird I saw was a Bucco, which in voice resembled the 

 green one of the plains. 



- The elevation of Mamloo is 3,153, the temperature being at 7 a, m. 

 63°. The large metal thermometer rose at the boiling point to 206^° : 

 wooden one to 206^° : centigrade 96^ ° : small metal 200°. 



One of the most curious places about Churra is situated over the 

 ridge in which the coal is found ; on surmounting this, which is steep 

 and perhaps 400 feet high, one soon commences to descend gradu- 

 ally until you come to a water- course ; on proceeding along this a 

 short way you come to a precipice. The water falling over this, 

 has cut a deep well in the limestone : the road to the bottom is 

 precipitous and dangerous. On reaching the water- course again no 

 signs of the well are observable, access to this is gained by subter- 

 ranean passages, of which two, now dry, exist. The scene inside is 

 very striking ; you stand on the rugged bottom of the well which is 

 70 or 80 feet deep, the part above corresponding to the fall, being of 

 about the same depth ; the water now escapes through a chasm below 

 the bed of the well, the other fissures or passages being above, and 

 probably now rarely letting off the water. After a severe fall of 

 rain the scene must be grand. 



November 4th. — Nonkreem a.m., thermometer 31°: hoarfrost. 

 Marched hither from Surureem. Vegetation the same until you reach 

 the Boga Panee, when Delphinum, Anemone, and Ranunculus make 

 their appearance. On the high ridges before reaching Boga Panee, 

 found an Astragalus ; at Nonkreem, a Scrophularia. Nonkreem, is a cu- 

 rious place, the village of no great size in a valley : the sides of the valley 

 are covered with boulders ; those at the entrance from Churra of hujre 

 size, and thrown together with great confusion. Pines at this place 

 occur of some size, but they are distinctly limited in this direction to 



