274 



BOOTAN. 



Some cultivation occurs around, chiefly of barley, with a little por- 

 tion of radishes. The valley is surrounded by comparatively low moun- 

 tains, most of which are rather bare, many are transversely furrowed 

 on the surface, this may arise from their having been at some former 

 period under cultivation. — The prevailing trees on the surrounding 

 heights are firs, Pinus pendula and cedroides. No fish are to be seen 

 in the river. The birds are the raven, white-necked starling, bull- 

 finch, crimson and yellow shrikelets, blue tomtits, lesser ditto with two 

 stripes on the head, white-rumped waterchat, red-tailed chesnuty 

 sparrow. 



The plants are Q. ilecifolia, Magnolia grandiflora, Laurinea, Hama- 

 melidioides, Castanea aromatica, Pinus cedroides and pendula, Bam- 

 busa microphylla, and B. of Sanah which may be a variety depending 

 on its marshy sites, Rhododendron minus, Salix, Mespilus micro- 

 phyllus, Gaultheria nummularoides, Elseagnus, Marchantia, Swertia, 

 Rumex, Daphne papyracea, Dipsacus, Artemisia major, Berberis 

 asiatica, Rosa hispida, Rubus csesius, Stauntonia latifolia, Tofieldioid 

 of Sanah and Pemee, Taxus, Mespilus microphyllus, Ilex dipyrena, 

 Oxalis acetoselloid, Thymus, Lycopodium of Surureem, Juniperus. 



Bamboos split and inverted, and then placed in the ground, are 

 used to scare away beasts from the cornfields. 



March 267A. — Left at seven and a half and proceeded along the 

 river which runs by Chindupjee, the path running over the spurs of 

 the hills, forming its right bank. After proceeding about four miles, 

 we crossed the nullah, changing our direction, and proceeding up a 

 tributary, until we reached a prettily situated, and rather large vil- 

 lage, thence we commenced to ascend over naked slopes with 

 intervening woods, until we reached the base of the chief ascent, 

 which is not very steep, although of good length, chiefly over naked 

 hills. On reaching the summit, which is about 10,000 feet high, we 

 commenced to descend, and the descent continued uninterruptedly 

 and steeply until we reached Rydang, where we halted. 



We passed only one village, which is about five miles from Chin- 

 dupjee, and of similar size, but we passed in the more elevated places 

 two temporary ones, apparently intended for the residence of the 

 herdsmen of yaks or cho wry- tailed cows, as a herd of these animals 

 was seen feeding near each place. 



The march throughout was beautiful, in the more elevated and 

 drier portions, winding over swardy slopes or through woods of fir 

 trees: on the descent from 9,000 feet downwards, passing through 



