CHUKA. 



297 



Along the bed of the river, Zizyphus arborea, Urtica, foliis apicee 

 erosis, Berberis obovata, Erythrina, Artemisia major, Elaeagnus fra- 

 grans, and Stellaria cana, occur, the last ranges between 3 and 6,000 

 feet, Thlaspi, Polygonum globifera, Dendrobium pictum, Verbenacea 

 of Dgin, Clematis, petiolis basi connatis demum induratus majus, 

 Magnolia, Randia of Punukha, Liriodendron tulipif., Apocynum neru- 

 folium. 



At Chuka, Ficus elastica, but not flourishing, Musa, Salix pendula. 

 Phytolacca, Buckwheat, Crucifera cordifructus, Sanicula, Stellaria 

 cana, Thibaudia lanceolata, Cynoglossum, Vandea, Parkioides com- 

 mon. 



The most limited plants are Iris, Silene, Aristolochia tetrarima 

 vix infra 6,000 feet, Buxus, Delphinioid, Fraxinus non infra 6,000 

 feet, Epipactis ditto, Hutchinsia, Lomaria of Khegumpa, Mitella, 

 Carex stricta of Chupcha, Peloria, Smilax gaultherifolia, Osmundia 

 non infra 5,500 feet, Hydrangeacea ditto, Cucurbitacea cissifolia, 

 found about Sudya, etc. 



The most diffused, Hottonia, Q. robur, Gaultheria arborea, 5 to 

 3,500 feet, Corydalis. 



The subtropical forms, Mimosa, Impatiens, occurrence of fleshy 

 Urticea, Ficus elastica, but not flourishing, Musa, Salix pendula, 

 Buckwheat, Urtica urens, peaches, Stellaria cana, Crucifera cordi- 

 fructus, Panax curcifolia, Andropogon arbusculoid, Rubia cordata. 



May \6th. — The fort of Chuka not being whitewashed, is not 

 conspicuous : its situation is strong, and against Bhooteas would be 

 impregnable. It occupies a low hill arising from the centre of the 

 valley, one side of which is washed by the Teemboo or Tchien-chiw. 

 The room we were lodged in was a good one. The village is a 

 mean one, and consisting of three or four houses. 



We crossed the river by a suspension bridge much inferior to 

 that of Benka, and then rose gradually and inconsiderably, following 

 the Teemboo. To this we subsequently descended by a most preci- 

 pitous road built for the most part on the face of a huge cliff : we 

 reached the Teemboo at its junction with a small torrent ; the tongue 

 of land here was strewn with huge rocks, and bore evidences of the 

 power of the torrents, for it evidently had been once a hill, such as 

 that we had just descended. Thence we continued ascending, fol- 

 lowing the river, from which however we soon diverged to our right, 

 but not far. The road was rugged beyond description. As we 

 approached Murichom, it improved somewhat, but was still very bad. 



2 q 



