236 



BOOTAN. 



February 8th. — Towards the morning it commenced to rain ; snow 

 has fallen on both sides the Koollong : it has fallen on the road we 

 came by yesterday, and on the hills above to within 200 feet of 

 us, or in some places to the level of this. Exemption in favour of this 

 place is to be attributed to local causes. The trees in the neighbour- 

 hood are completely covered with it, and it is said to have fallen here 

 twice during the night. 



The Bootea houses are ill calculated for rain, they leak all around 

 as indeed might be expected from the nature of the roofs, which 

 consist of boards, kept in situ by stones. It would be curious to 

 ascertain the temperature under which snow does not fall, and if pos- 

 sible the temperature here and among the snow. In the morning, 

 sleet with a few flakes of snow fell also, but only occasionally. 



Snow continued to fall throughout the day, and steadily too : it 

 commenced slightly : as the cold increased it ceased to melt on reach- 

 ing the ground, and at length all around was a sheet of white. The 

 variations of the thermometer were considerable and frequent, the 

 wind blowing pretty steadily from the south-east. 

 At 10 a. m. 37 degrees Snow commencing. 



South-east wind. 



Wind from the north, snow rather heavy. 



South-east, 

 ditto, 

 ditto, 

 ditto, 

 ditto, 

 ditto, 

 ditto. 



Fine moonlight night. View to the north beautiful ; every thing 

 silvered with snow ; the deep and black ravine of the Koollong is parti- 

 cularly conspicuous, and on some cultivated spots the pendulous cypress 

 with its sombre head and branches covered with snow, was also re- 

 markable, altogether a beautiful scene. Larch-like firs were visible 

 500 feet over the road leading to this from Khumna. 



February 9th— Fine sunny morning : thermometer at 7 a. m. 35° : 

 at 8 a. m. 42°. Hills around covered with snow. High ridge to 

 south plainly visible, a good deal of snow visible. Went out at noon 

 over to the south-east, in which direction a pine wood was visible; 

 this I ascertained to consist of Pinus or Abies pendula, which has 

 much the habit of a Larch. The altitude of this above Phoollong is 



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