HEAD OF THE BOLAN PASS. 



337 



Throughout the very narrow portion of the pass the vegetation 

 continues the same : at Sirekhugoor a Xanthoxylon appears and con- 

 tinues nearly throughout : this and an oleinous looking small tree are 

 the only arborescent plants : Apocynum viminale and the other plants 

 of Sirekhugoor continue, nor did I notice any new ones further than 

 a Sedum, and Tortula. However fragrant Labiatse and Compositse 

 increase in number, but none are in flower. 



As soon as we opened out from the pass, the vegetation almost 

 entirely changed ; the hills assumed a rounded form, covered with low 

 bushes, and were much less rocky. Umbelliferae, Labiatse, and Com- 

 positse abound, some of them deliciously fragrant : an Astragaloid 

 spinosus very common, a shrubby Cerasus, Thalictrum, Hypoxis, and 

 small Cruciferse abundant. The chief vegetation consists of grasses in 

 low round tufts ; Anemone, Tulipa, etc. all small. After crossing a low 

 range we came into the valley, which is almost entirely covered with 

 an Artemisioid odoriferous plant ; no verdure was visible, even on 

 the snowy ranges. We encamped close under a ridge about two 

 and a half miles to the north of the summit of the pass. 



21 st — Halted: there being some water collected in attempts to 

 form a nullah from the last rain, it is quite brownish and opaque, but 

 deposits no sediment, and makes good tea, although disagreeable to 

 drink in any other form. I walked out in the afternoon into a valley 

 to the west, close to our encampment, and thence ascended a hill 600 

 feet high at least. 



This valley like the one in which we are encamped is covered 

 entirely by an Artemisioid, a very fragrant plant, each shrub of which 

 is distinct ; mixed with it are tulips, several small Cruciferse, and a 

 Fritillarioides. 



The same Artemisioid is also the chief plant on all the hills : it is 

 mixed, but in small quantities with Cerasus pygmseus, Equisetoid, 

 Caragana, and one or two shrubby Labiatse ; and also especially 

 above, with a curious Astragaloid looking plant. The herbaceous 

 plants are numerous, consisting of very fragrant Umbelliferae, burst- 

 ing into leaf; tulips, Fritillarioides, Trichostema, Erodium, Iris, Thalic- 

 trum, Senecio, Boraginese 2, Gilenacea, several tufted Graminese, 

 Berberideae, Ranunculoides, Myosotis, Anemone cracea, Asphodeloid, 

 Mesembryanthoids ; of mosses Tortula, Grimmia. 



22nd. — Proceeded to Sinab, a distance of fifteen and three quarter 

 miles, up two valleys, no ascents. These valleys are elevated towards 

 the mountains and generally depressed in the centre : in some they 



2 x 



