ing; in the afternoon threatening, night cloudy, all
the clouds come down the ravine! except when the wind occasionally shifts
to west.

_30th_.--Fine weather, although still unsettled. I procured the other
day a few specimens of trees from the hills to the south of this, among
these which amount only to a few, are one Myrtus, an Olenia, both of
which bear me out in assuming that the woody vegetations of these hills
will present a curious transition between the genuine Australio-European
and the Himalayan forms.

_31st_.--Almost every isolated rock in this country is covered with ruins
which vary much in extent, and are often barely perceptible, but careful
looking will detect them in all situations about gorges, and such places.
From the rivers running under rocks, the paths which must be resorted to,
at least at this season, are very difficult. It would be curious to
speculate on the different state of preservation of these ruins, and the
singular people to whom they are due.

The soil of this valley is very deep in places: in one place on the
opposite side of the river, it is twenty-five feet at least, the depth
obviously diminishing towards the bed of the river, or the lowest part of
the valley.

[Section through river valley: m440.jpg]

In this valley, at least about here, curious round thatched huts are
visible about villages, intended for religious females, they are closed
except at a small door.

Cotton much cultivated.

The _Jala_, or float skins used for crossing rivers, are inflated by
_bellows_ of the usual description, this causes delay as some require to
be inflated very often owing to the eagerness of those who want to be
ferried over, and who rush indiscriminately on the _Jala_ which, from the
rafts being few and far apart, occasion delay; such ferries were not
intended for impatient travellers; nothing can show the want of
intelligence of the people more than this abominably slow method of
crossing rivers; here, there is little excuse for it, as wood is
abundant.

The Culminating peak to the west of the north Dhurrah, shows that here,
as elsewhere, snow lies longer on the north than south sides: it also
affords a curious instance of the various disposition of snow: those
angles of its faces presented to the south having none, or little snow;
or does this depend upon the faces having different declivities?

_February 1st_.--First part of last night clear; but the wind shifting
from west to