JAISA. 



263 



The ridge above this which is crossed coming from Bhoomlung- 

 tung, is 9,947 feet high, yet no snow was on the ground. The 

 contrast between it and Pemee in regard to snow and vegetation 

 is remarkable ; there the woods were thick, luxuriant, and varied, here 

 nothing is to be seen but Abies pendula. I consider this a proof that 

 A. pendula is a native of places below much snow, and that where 

 snow abounds, it will not be found to extend above 8,000 feet. The 

 dwarf bamboo of Sanah is common here, covering large patches of 

 ground, Lamium of Bulphai in the vicinity of temples, and enclosing 

 pagodas. The people here evince great skill in figures, but none in 

 architecture. 



The Soobah's house a castillated heterogeneous mansion, spread over 

 much ground, the defences on one side reaching nearly to the level 

 of the valley. The Kumpa dogs are fierce and handsome, with the 

 bark of a mastiff, they are not apparently deterred by threats, but 

 rather the contrary. A woman with dropsy, wrapped in filthy 

 clothes, presented herself and evinced great anxiety to have her pulse 

 felt, but the dirt of her clothes was such, that I made excuses. 



Manure for the land consists of pine leaves, etc. mixed with cow- 

 dung. The cattle are well littered ; and grass is here of rather better 

 description : all cattle are however in wretched condition notwith- 

 standing, and the cows give very little milk. The houses of the poorer 

 orders, are un ornamented, but those of the better classes are always 

 ornamented with a belt of red ochre outside. There are no large 

 boulders in the river here, although it runs with violence. This is 

 owing to the softness or tenacity of the rocks. 



March 4th. — Our march commenced with a steep ascent up the 

 ridge, forming the west boundary of the valley, surmounting this we 

 proceeded on for some distance at about the same level, and thence 

 descended rapidly to a nullah. We then ascended slightly, and sub- 

 sequently descended to the valley, in which the village Jaisa is situ- 

 ated. The distance was nine miles ; the march was pretty, almost 

 entirely through fir woods, three villages were visible in a valley to 

 the left, which is in fact the termination of the Jaisa one, but beyond 

 the valleys no cultivation whatever was visible. 



The first part was up a barren grassy slope, after which we entered 

 fir woods, these at first were almost entirely constituted of Abies 

 pendula. 



At 9,000 feet Chimaphila, Berberis spathulata, Abies pendula, Bam- 

 busa microphylla of Sanah, Mespilus microphyllus, Rhododendron 



