February 23rd.—Marched to Tumashoo: our march commenced with a steep ascent, but which may be avoided by going through the village, it commenced and continued throughout in the direction of Lingè, opposite to which place we found ourselves on our arrival, but on the right bank of the river. The highest part reached, before we descended to this village, was 6,350 feet, or about the height of Lingè. The march was nearly six miles, it was easy, the road being throughout excellent and apparently more frequented than any we had hitherto seen. Generally we moved along through open Rhododendron woods, frequently very much stunted, at 6,000 feet. These were intermixed with Quercus tomentosa. The only spot well wooded, occurred in the ravines, giving exit to small streams.
The first ascent from Leng-Leng, gave the same vegetation, scarcely any trees being visible. Tradescantia clavijera of Churra on rocks, Galium of Churra, Santalacea, Desmodium vestilum, Indigofera canescens, Artemisia major and minor, Oxyspora, Luculia, Conaria, Sambucus in wet places, Lobelia pyramidalis, Spiræa bella and decomposita, Thalictrum majus, Gaultheria fruticosa, Woodwardia, Saurauja hispida, Rhododendron minus, and lemon-grass, occurred in the order of ascent.
Turning hence along the ridge at the same elevation, Gaultheria arborea, Quercus tomentosa, Rhododendron minus, Hedychium, Holcus elegans, Leucas ciliata. In wet wooded spots Gaultheria duplexa, Bucklandia, Viburnum cærulescens, Polyg. rheoides, Erythrina, Gordonia, Porana, Neuropeltis aromatica, Catharinea, Thibaudia myrtifolia, in open massy woods of Rhododendron minus and Quercus tomentosa, Rosa, Cnicus, Pyrus, Gleichenia major, Agrimonia occurred at the same elevations.
From one spot seven villages were visible, on opposite bank of Kooree and between Lingè and the Khoomun. A few stunted P. longifolia: one or two of Abies pendula, occurred 100 feet above the highest point of the former: at 6,350 feet, woods of the deciduous Q. robur, were observable.
On the descent at 6,000 feet, Mimosa spinosa, Primula Stuartii, Rhus, Juncus, and others, as before.
We passed several villages, some containing twenty or thirty houses, and on halting found ourselves towards the edge of the cultivated tract alluded to, as seen from Lingè.
Cattle are here kept in farm yards which are well littered with straw; as in other places they are noosed round the horns: they are fed, while tied up, on straw of a coarse and unnutritious description, which they do not seem to fancy much. Pigeons abound, but they are of no use as they cannot be caught; they may help to feed the sparrow-hawks, which are generally found about the villages, and which are very bold.
February 24th.—Left at 8 A.M. after the usual trouble about coolies and ponies. We ascended at first about 1,000 feet, passing over sward with woods of P. longifolia on either side, crossing the ridge through a hollow, we then commenced a steep descent to the west, until we reached a water-course, the elevation of which is about 200 feet below that of Tumashoo. We then struck off, again to ascend, and continued to do so until we attained 7,800 feet, from which point we descended gradually at first, then abruptly to our mokan. The direction was nearly west, the distance 11 miles, the march pretty easy, as the road was good, and the ascent gradual.
Up to the ravine and indeed throughout, nothing new occurred in the vegetation. The hill up which we ascended to again descend, was bare, covered with the usual coarse grasses, Campanula linearis and C. cana, foliis undulatis, Desmodium vestilum, Santalacea.
In the ravine Gordonia, Photinia, Pothos flammea and another species, Mæsa, Polygonum rheoides, Ficus of Bhamree, and in the khets Hieraceoid, Gnaphalium aureum, Ajuga, and Veronica occurred.