338 



SINAB. 



stretch out a long way from the mountain to which they may be 

 imagined to belong. The mountains seen from a distance jutting out 

 from perhaps the centre of a plain, look curious. The vegetation is 

 generally Artemisioid, and very fragrant : the first valley in its de- 

 pressed portions was covered with a Salsoloid looking plant, to 

 the exclusion of Compositse, but these last recurred in the higher 

 parts. 



With the Compositse, swarms of small Cruciferse occur ; that with 

 purple flowers and pinnatisect leaves being the most common. Very 

 rugged hills are visible to the north-east and north of our route, pre- 

 senting a very different appearance from the usual aspect : they are 

 steep to the east, and present inclined slopes to the west. 



Sunday, 24ik. — Halted this day. Little new occurs in the valley, 

 except a few trees out of leaf and flower, which, though trees here, yet 

 the species are not so elsewhere. At this place are the heads of the 

 river of Pisheen, which appear to arise more artificially than naturally 

 from Kahreezes, or wells dug in a rude way, and communicating by 

 subterranean channels ; those nearest the natural outlet of the water 

 being the shallowest. The vegetation is the same ; there is a little 

 cultivation, but nothing to indicate any descent. The amount of 

 population is not great ; and the hills to the west are covered with 

 snow. The chief vegetation is Santonica. In cornfields Fumariacese, 

 Adonis, Cruciferse, Pulmonaria, Arenaria, Hordei sp., Tulipa lutea, 

 and Hyacinthus ? may be found. 



The vegetation of the plains, inclusive of Santonica, consists 

 generally of three or four small Cruciferse, Tulipa lutea. 



I went to the west towards the snow, and found in the river here an 

 aquatic Ranunculus, foliis omnibus immersis, floribus albis, Chara is 

 common ; gravelly slopes commence some distance from hills, covered 

 with Santonica, Astragaloid spinosus, Leguminosse, a spinous Statice, 

 Cytisus argenteis, Composita floribunda carnosa. 



The mountains are covered with masses of rock. One tree occurs 

 with a Fraxinus ? a Thymeleous looking shrub, Cytisus, Caragana. 

 The herbaceous plants are very numerous, Compositse, Cruciferse, small 

 Leguminosse, Berberidese, Isopyroides, Crocus ? Gentiana, Onosma, 

 and other Boraginese, Umbelliferse, Silenacese, especially small Are- 

 narise ; Cupressus commences about 6,500 feet, near the Cypress an 

 Arctium occurred, at least it has the habit of that genus, Onosma, a 

 curious Boraginea calyce sinubus bidentigeris, demum piano ! 

 ampliato bilabiato ! clauso, quasi hastato lobato, nucibus compressis, 



