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CHAPTER XIII. 

 Return of the Mission from Bootan. 



May 9th, 1838, — We left Punukha at twelve, having been delayed 

 throughout the morning, on account of coolies. We crossed the 

 palace precints, and the two bridges unmolested. Our road lay 

 in the direction of our entering Punukha for sometime, but on the 

 opposite bank of the river. We gradually descended throughout 

 this portion. Then at about eight miles turning round a ridge, we 

 followed a ravine to the west, some distance above its base, gradually 

 descending to the watercourse draining it. Thence we ascended in 

 a very circuitous route to Telagoung, the castle of which is in a 

 ruinous state : it is visible from the place whence one turns to the 

 westward. 



Up to this point, which was certainly 1,200 feet above Punukha, 

 no change occurred in the vegetation. The country remained barren, 

 the ravines in favourable places being clothed with underwood, and as 

 we increased our elevation, with trees. Noticed a Bupleurum, Vibur- 

 nium sp., Ficus obliqua. 



At 3,500 feet, Sambucus, Bupleurum sp., Potentilla as before, 

 Gentiana pinnata, Serissoides, Campanula. 



At 3,800 to 4,000 feet, Pinus longifolia more common though still 

 a stunted tree, Emblica, Paederia cyaneum, Q. tomentosa, Primula 

 Stuartii, Parochetus, Pogonantherum, this is a most common grass 

 about here, it becomes more stunted as we proceed lower, and its 

 extreme elevation does not exceed 6,000 feet, Acorus very common, 

 Adhatoda ! 



At 4,000 feet, Simool, Dipsacus as before, Aspidium, Macrodon, 

 Rhododendron minus re- appears. 



On rounding the ridge, although we did not increase our elevation, 

 the country became more wooded. In some places Q. robur, Gordonia, 

 Pyrus were common, others and the greater portion were composed 

 of Pinus longifolia, Bucklandia re-appears at 4,500 feet, Azalea, 

 Saccharum aristatum, Hedera, Didymocarpus contortus, on rocks. 



Towards the nullah we passed a village with some wheat and 

 buckwheat cultivation ; Plantago, Ranunculus, Thymus, were 



