ll the leaves had
fallen, the whole appearance was that of winter. Here I shot the Jay
figured in Royle's work: continuing to descend very gradually, I observed
Epilobium,* Neckera, Fissidens, Brachymenium, Nerioideum in fruit and
half buried in the fallen leaves; a pretty Gentiana, Ruta albiflora,
Potentilla. After passing along this for some way we commenced a sharp
descent. At about 4,800 ft. Vitex simplex, occurred. Indigofera
re-appeared, with Saccharum rubro nitens of Churra, the other grasses
being Andropogons, 2-3, and Orthopogon, Hedychium, Gordonia soon
re-appeared: to the east, cultivation was visible, and to the north,
Pines were visible in every direction stretching away far below us to a
considerable torrent. About one-third of the way down this steep ravine,
at the bottom of which a torrent was heard roaring, Wendlandia, Spiraea
bella, Hedychium, Gaultheria arborea, Aspera Rhododendron, Pteris
aquilina, Artemisia, Saurauja hispida, Indigofera, Eurya, Mimosa arborea,
Maesa angustifolia of yesterday; Osbeckia nepalensis, Viburnum,
Tetranthera, Ficus, Gleichenia minor, Crawfurdia speciosa, Polygonum
rheoides, were found. Hitherto the woods had been dry, or rather so, but
on turning to the east, we came into damp woods presenting many tropical
features, along which we continued descending gradually for some time: at
the commencement in this, Callicarpa arborea, a weeping Beech, Dipsacus
verbesina, and the Alnus, of Thumathaya occurred, Arbutoideus, Hydrangea,
Urtica heterophylla, Neuropeltoid aromatica. Then below we came on
Piper, Deeringia, Cerasus, Sanicula, Cyrtandracea, Cheilosandra gracilis,
and fleshy Urticeae. Underwood, herbaceous forms of Acanthaceae, Ferns,
as Davallia, Asplenium, all more or less succulent. Darea, Glycine,
Buchanania, Saurauja ferruginea, Thalictrum majus, Pothos, etc.
Hypericum, Begonia, Panax terebinthaceus, Magnoliacae, Garciniae,
Valeriana cordifolia.* Passing on at the same elevation, we suddenly
rounded a ridge, and in one moment came on dry, sunny, rocky, grassy
ground, the trees being exclusively Rhododendron, oaks and a few
Gordonias with Airoid, Andropogons, Pteris aquilina: we then came on the
brink of the ridge up to which Pinus longifolia ascends; the elevation of
this was 4,132 feet (60.204.5.) {212} From this all around Pinus is
visible in profusion; we then dipped to the south, this face being
occupied by thick forest, having Rhododendrons on the skirts.