bstitute for _sooparee_, it is unpleasantly astringent.
Observed Rhododendron microphylla on the loftier ground; very high land,
18,000 feet visible to the south along the course of Tung-chiew, covered
with heavy snow: Abies pendula is occasionally a beautiful tree, 100 feet
high, and in appearance something like a cedar, the finest occurs at a
monastery under a bluff rock, about one and a half mile from
Bhoomlungtung on the Tung-chiew; Daphne papyriferae occurred at 9,000
feet. The heaps of earth piled up in the fields before sowing, consist
of burnt rubbish, the ashes are subsequently spread out. The manure
consists entirely of vegetables: here I find that the pine leaves are
piled up, and formed into manure by fermentation.

_March 2nd_.--Byagur, the Soobah's house is about 500 feet above us,
and is a huge rambling edifice. We are in a village situated in a rather
capacious valley, percolated by a large river, twice the size of the Tung-
chiew, which is crossed by an ordinary bridge, the river runs close to
the hills, which form the left bank, the right is a sort of plain,
occupied by wheat cultivation, and which has apparently at a former
period, been the bed of the river. In this valley other villages are
visible, but they are small, and nothing indicates either fertility or
prosperity. The valley is surrounded on all sides by high mountains,
those towards Bhoomlungtung being lowest. To the north-east very high
land is visible. The ridge which separates us from Tongse is, in the
highest parts, certainly 12,000 feet, and covered with snow. The people
are dirty to an excess.

Crow, sparrow, Alauda, are the birds here. Saw a fox, an animal of some
size, with a beautiful brush. The botany is poor, the hills are clothed
with the usual grasses, abundance of Abies pendula. The khets or fields
present the old Lamium and Crucifera. The only trees are one of Q.
ilecifolia, and one or two of Salix lanata.

_March 3rd_.--Cycnium is found here, but is put to no use. The crops
which are now springing up are very poor, the soil being extremely bad,
they are irrigated by means of canals, but terraces are not in use, the
ground being too level, the embankments are much smaller than those used
in rice cultivation.

The place is bleak in the extreme, and here, as often on the western face
of the Himalaya, at this season a fierce diurnal wind rises directly the
sun gets power, which always blows up the ravines or again