404 
TIBET. 
with iron, and nearly of the same temperature with the atmosphere 
Saw a few ill-thriving willows planted near the habitations, which are 
the only trees to be met with. 
September 20, 2,1, and 2,2,. Road to Tissoolumboo . a The remaining 
part of our journey was over a more fertile soil, enjoying a milder 
climate. Some very good fields of wheat, barley, and pease; many 
pleasant villages, and distant houses; less sand, and more rock; part 
slaty, and much of it a very good sort of flint. The soil in the valley, 
a light-coloured clay and sand: they were everywhere employed in 
cutting down their crop. What a happy climate! the sky was serene 
and clear, without a cloud ; and so confident were they of the con¬ 
tinuance of this w’eather, that their crop was thrown together in a 
convenient part of the field, without any cover, to remain till they 
could find time to thrash it out. 
Before we reached Tissoolumboo, we found some elms and ash 
trees. 
The hills in Thibet have, from their general appearance, strong 
marks of containing those fossils, that are inimical to vegetation; such 
are most of the ores of the metal and pyritical matter. 
The country properly explored, promises better than any I have 
seen, to gratify the curiosity of a philosopher, and to reward the 
labours of a mineralist. Accident, more than a spirit of enterprise 
i 
and enquiry, has already discovered the presence of many valuable 
ores and minerals in Thibet. The first in this list is, deservedly, gold : 
they find it in large quantities, and frequently very pure. In the form 
* Teshoo Loomboo. 
