TOWARDS BOOTAN. 



199 



here. The large coloured stipulse are peculiar to the young 

 shoots cultivated, they are often a span long. The young fruit is 

 enveloped by three large coloured scales, which originate from the 

 annuliform base ; this is hence a peduncle, not a bracte, as I before 

 supposed. 



January 1st, 1838.— Halted. 



January 2nd. — Marched to Ghoorgoung, a small village, eight 

 miles from Hazareegoung and nearly due north. We crossed similar 

 grassy tracts : the country gradually rising as we approached the hills. 



Very little cultivation occurred. Crossed the Mutunga, now dry, 

 but the breadth testifies to its being a large stream in the rains, 

 as the boulders do to its being a violent one. The same plants con- 

 tinue ; small jungle or wood composed of Simool. Trophis aspera, 

 Cassia fistula, Bauhinia, Butea scandens, Byttneria, underwood of 

 Eranthemum, and another Acanthacea. 



About this place Cnicus and Arundinaria occur, and a small 

 Santalaceous or Olacineous plant, with the habit of a Polygala. 

 Merops apiaster is very common. 



January 3rd. — To Dewangeri, distance eight miles. 



Our route hither lay for the greater portion up the bed of the Du- 

 runga, the stream of which makes its exit about one mile to the west 

 of Ghoorgoung. After ascending its bed for some time, the ascent 

 becomes steep, for perhaps 800 or 1,000 feet, when we reached a 

 portion of Dewangeri, but two or three hundred feet below the ridge 

 on which the village is situated. The hills bounding the water- 

 course are very steep, many quite perpendicular, owing to having been 

 cut away ; generally they are of decomposed granite as at Dacanara, 

 in some parts of conglomerate. 



The torrent contains but little water, and very few fish, the banks 

 are wooded tolerably well, as soon as the lower barren ranges are 

 past. 



At the base Cassia fistula, Leguminous trees, Artemisia, Simool, 

 Spathodea, Bignonia indica, Sterculia, Csesalpinea, Phlogacanthus 

 thyrsiflorus, Paederia fsetida, Eugenia, Rhamnea, Croton malvsefoliis 

 are found among the usual grasses, which form the chief vegetation. 



These continue along the sandy bed for some time, but afterwards 

 the usual small Andropogons usurp their place. Anthistiria arundi- 

 nacea continue longest ; with some of the large Saccharum, Rubus 

 moluccanus soon appears, with Melica latifolia, and a species of 

 Rhus. 



