1862.] Notes of a trip from Simla to the Spiti Valley. 525 
toe cultivation, of which long untasted vegetable I made free to dig 
up a few pounds. This must be near the highest limit at which 
they will thrive, and they certainly could not compare with the pota¬ 
toes of Kursiang (Darjiling) or Cherra, though it was too early to 
obtain them of their full size. I do not know if the seed potatoes 
are cut up in the hills or planted whole, as is invariably the case in 
the plains, a plan which would account for the smallness of the 
tubers, independently of other causes affecting the plant. 
7th, Nogri bungalow , 4,355 ft.*—Road descends sharply to a feeder 
♦ 
of the Sutlej, on the banks of which the bungalow is situated in a 
narrow picturesque valley, hut not, I should he afraid, above the 
region of malaria. On the way down witnessed the rude way in 
which sheep are sometimes 'shorn here. The unfortunate animal I 
saw, when being operated on, was firmly secured on his side by a rope 
round his horns, the other end of which was secured to a peg driven 
into the ground, his hind legs were in like manner pulled out taught, 
and fastened to another peg, so as to prevent much flinching, whilst 
his owner was leisurely carving off his wool in short strips by means 
of a small cheese knife, or a knife of precisely that shape. Up the 
valley chakor were numerous, hut I saw no other game. 
8^, Bowli bungalow , 7,709 ft.*—A steep ascent to the bungalow, 
which is situated on the ridge opposite to that on which Dhurni 
bungalow is built. This bungalow has an evil repute for fleas, but 
seemed to have just been cleaned when I used it, and I was not con¬ 
sequently troubled with bed-fellows. 
9th, Sungri bungalow, 8,356 ft.*—An extremely good and pretty 
road, rising slightly to the bungalow. In the morning was awakened 
by the noise made by the koklas pheasants in the brushwood close by ; 
hut so thick was the vegetation that I could not catch a glimpse of 
a bird. Monal are also common about here, and I purchased a couple 
of fine skins well prepared by a shikaree. 
10th, JBaghi bungalow, 8,591 ft.*—Two short stages, amounting to 
about sixteen miles, passing the Kandala bungalow half way ; road 
excellent and country open and rather pretty. Noticed a swarm of 
wild bees in a hole in a clay bank, or rather beside a large block of 
stone embedded in the bank, hut only a small chink for entrance. 
Such a situation is I suspect unusual, and strange to say I have 
noticed no wild bees’ combs on the rocks adjoining the Sutlej, though 
