Manure for the land consists of pine leaves, etc. mixed with cow-dung. The cattle are well littered; and grass is here of rather better description: all cattle are however in wretched condition notwithstanding, and the cows give very little milk. The houses of the poorer orders, are unornamented, but those of the better classes are always ornamented with a belt of red ochre outside. There are no large boulders in the river here, although it runs with violence. This is owing to the softness or tenacity of the rocks.
March 4th.—Our march commenced with a steep ascent up the ridge, forming the west boundary of the valley, surmounting this we proceeded on for some distance at about the same level, and thence descended rapidly to a nullah. We then ascended slightly, and subsequently descended to the valley, in which the village Jaisa is situated. The distance was nine miles; the march was pretty, almost entirely through fir woods, three villages were visible in a valley to the left, which is in fact the termination of the Jaisa one, but beyond the valleys no cultivation whatever was visible.
The first part was up a barren grassy slope, after which we entered fir woods, these at first were almost entirely constituted of Abies pendula.
At 9,000 feet Chimaphila, Berberis spathulata, Abies pendula, Bambusa microphylla of Sanah, Mespilus microphyllus, Rhododendron elliptica, foliis basi cordatis subtus argenteis, Philadelphus Lycopod. of Surureem, Gaultheria nummularifolia, Rhododendron viscosum.
At 9,300 feet, Abies spinulosa becomes more common, Rosa hispida and microphylla! Pinus cedroides commences, Dalibarda, Daphne papyracea, Thymus, Gnaphalia, Mespilus and Berberis, as before, Potentilla.
At 9,500 feet, snow lying on the path in sheltered places, Euphorbia, Gaultheria arboreoides, Hypnum rubescens, scolopendrioids, Pteris aquilina, Melianthus, Rosa, frutex erectus ramis hispidissimis, ramulis subglabratis, fructibus pendulis glabris, tubo-ovato, sepalis lanceolatis. Salix arbuscula, gemmis rubur glabris, foliis lanceolatis subtus glaucis, amentis fæminies pendulis, Bupleurum, Hydrangea, Spiræa densa belloides! Prunella, Pinus cedroides common at Potentilla.
At 9,700, 9,800, to 10,000 feet, Abies densa, a few trees, as usual many blasted, from lightning confined entirely towards the summit, Acer sterculiacea, Aruncus, Thibaudia orbicularis, A. spinulosa very common, A. pendula ceases, or at most only stunted plants occur, Mespilus microphyllus, Berberis spathulata, Baptisia, these were very common on west face, which is level enough and open.
Here also Pedicularis, Bupleurum, stunted Pteris aquilina, Polygonum, Rheum! Avena! Pendulous lichens luxuriant. Along the level tracts, the woods consisted entirely of Abies spinulosa, a minute Gentiana common on the sward.
The descent was steep to the ravine; half-way down A. pendula commenced to flourish, and towards the ravine it was more common than A. spinulosa; Rhododendron microphyllum was seen on this face at 9,500 feet, Verbascum at 9,200 feet, but most of the plants seen on the east face were not found on this. Acer sterculiacea, however occurred at 9,800 feet, otherwise pines were the most prominent feature.
At the nullah, Dipsacus, Elæagnus, Salix lanata, Artemisia major, Daphne papyracea, Rhododendron viscosum, Mespilus microphyllus, Rosa hispida, spinus acutissimis, Bambusa of Sanah, Plectranthus a large suffruticose annual species, common in all the same altitudes, were observed. The subsequent descent was through woods of A. pendula, with a few of A. spinulosa intermixed.