Journals of Travels in Assam, Burma, Bhootan, Afghanistan and the Neighbouring Countries Part 35

At 11,000 feet, Acer sterculiacea, Rosa microphylla, Ribes, which ceases below 10,000 feet, it is confined to the A. densa woods.

At 10,500 feet, Saxifraga, two species on moist banks, A. densa woods, small Umbellifera.

The sward commences at about 10,000 feet, and is common at 9,500 feet. It is clothed princ.i.p.ally with the small bamboo noticed in similar places above Sanah. Berberis spathulata commences. It is with this sward that a new fir, with a larch-like look, which I call temporarily Abies spinulosa, commences, and continues down to the nullah, becoming more abundant as A. densa becomes less abundant, and finally usurping its place entirely. Rhododendron microphyllum continues to 9,600 feet, at which point Baptisoidea commences.

The vegetation hence to Bhoomlungtung consists entirely of Abies spinulosa, intermixed with a species very like Abies pendula, this appears at about 9,500 feet. The sward consists of small gra.s.ses, Juncus niveus, Gnaphalium, Hyperic.u.m of Mollong, suffrutex incertus. Juncus effusus at 9,000 feet, with Prinsepia utilis.

The marked indicators of great elevation are A. densa, Polygonum, Rheum!

Eriogona! Rhododendron microphyllum, elliptic.u.m, and elliptic.u.m foliis basi cordatis, Epilobium, Triticoides, Holcoides, Umbellifera of Royle, Saxifragae, Ribes, Juniperus.

The most marked peculiarity is the comparative absence of A. densa on the east side of the mountain, and its excessive abundance on the west. This valley may be justly called the valley of pines, for in no direction is any forest to be seen but those composed of pines. The change indeed is extraordinary, in other respects as indicated by the presence of a new Rosa and Prinsepia utilis. Another peculiarity is the appearance for the first time of A. spinulosa. The range of which is between 8 to 10,000 feet; this is a beautiful tree, and disposed in beautiful groups. The valley altogether is a beautiful one, and actually repays one for the trouble endured in getting access to it.

The temperature in crossing the ridge was below that on Dhonglaila, and below the freezing point at times. No inconvenience was felt by us from the elevation, but many of our servants suffered probably as much from fright as cold.

_February 27th_.--Halted.

_February 28th_.--This valley is certainly the prettiest place we have yet seen, the left bank is particularly level, but neither are of much breadth, the hills adjacent present rounded gra.s.sy patches, interspersed with beautiful groves of pines. The level s.p.a.ce, as well as the more favourable sites on the slopes of the hills, are occupied by wheat cultivation, which is carried on in a more workman-like manner, than any of the previous cultivation I have hitherto seen. The fields are occasionally surrounded with stone walls, but generally only protected from the inroads of cattle by branches of th.o.r.n.y shrubs strewed on their edges. They are kept clean, and above all, manure is used: it is however dry and of a poor quality, apparently formed of animal and vegetable moulds. In some of the fields the surface is kept very fine, all stones and clods being carefully removed and piled up in various parts of the field, but whether these ma.s.ses are again strewed over the ground. The plough is used, and penetrates to about four inches. Hoes and rakes are also used, but the angle of the handle is much too acute. Radishes are grown with the wheat: no rice is cultivated here.

The village Bhoomlungtung, at which we are stationed is on the left bank of a branch of the Bhoomla nullah, a river of some size, but fordable in most places, its bed being subdivided. It is 8,668 feet above the sea.

The houses are ordinary, but they are surrounded with stone walls. Our's, which is a portion of the Dhumpas or headman's, has a court-yard, surrounded by a stone wall, and the entrance is defended by a stout and large door. The natives invariably wear dark clothing, the colour being only rivalled by that of their skins, for I never saw dirtier people. The Bhooteas. .h.i.therto visited, were quite paragons of cleanliness compared to those we are now among. Half ruined villages are visible here and there, although otherwise the appearance of the valley is prosperous enough. The valley is surrounded on all sides by hills of great alt.i.tude, the lowest being 10,500 feet high. Snow is plentiful on the ridges, but it does not remain long below, although falls are frequent. No fish are to be seen in the river, which is otherwise as regards appearance as beautiful a trout stream as one could wish to have. The birds are the common sparrow, field-fare, red-legged crow, magpie, skylark, a finch which flies about in large flocks, with a sub-forked tail, raven, red-tailed stonechat, larger tomt.i.t, syras, long-tailed duck, and quail, which is much larger than that found in a.s.sam. The woods are composed entirely of Abies pendula, a few A. spinulosa occur, intermixed, but the woods of the latter species are scarcely found below 9,500 feet. The ridges are clothed with the columnar Abies densa. In thickets a smaller Rosa, Rhododendron elliptic.u.m, foliis basi cordatis, Rhododendron elliptica, foliis subtus argenteis, Rhodod. gemmis viscosis. Berberis asiatica, Hamamelidea? Bambusa microphyllum, Philadelphus, Thibaudia orbicularis, Mespilus microphyllus, Taxus or Abies Brunonis, Ilex dipyrena, occur. The sward shews small gra.s.ses, all past flower, Hemiphragma, Thymus, Dipsacus, Juncus niveus, Gnaphalia 2, 3, Potentilla.

The fields have Crucifera Lamium and Verbasc.u.m, a late biennial species, Caule simplici, Hemiphragma.

The marshy spots abound with Juncus effusus, and shew also a Primula out of flower, and a Xyris past flowering.

Along the bed of the river, Hippophae is the most common plant. Lastly, a few trees occur of Q. ilecifolia, which a.s.sumes a very handsome character, looking much like a Conifera at some distance, one group occurs near the village, and a solitary tree or two elsewhere. The other woody vegetables are Rosa fructibus hispidis, Cycnium, Pomacea arbuscula, and one or two other deciduous shrubs. The willow tree is also common.

_March 1st_.--Marched to Byagur, we were told that the march was a short one, and that we should continue throughout along the Bhoomlungtung river, which is called Tung-chiew. We did keep along this for about two miles, when we struck off into the hills pa.s.sing through a village, we continued rising for perhaps 1,000 feet, when we descended to a small nullah. Leaving this we commenced an ascent, and a very long one too, and continued to ascend until we surmounted the ridge overlooking the river, on which Byagur or Iugur is situated. To the place we descended, the march was fourteen miles, direction westerly. Highest ground traversed about 9,500 feet high. Road throughout winding round and up hills, through woods of Abies pendula: nothing of interest occurred.

Magpies, crows, chatterer feeding on pine cones, common in woods at 9,000 feet. Pa.s.sed two or three villages, all containing ruined houses.

Direction we pursued was that of the Tung-chiew river, until we reached the ridge guiding the Byagur river to it: their junction takes place two or three miles below this place, Cycnium occurred on the road in plenty, also Sarcococea.

Horseshoe curlew, the same as we shot at Daimara, common in the Tung-chiew, along which the chief shrubs are Hippophae and Elaeagnus, particularly in the islets which are not uncommon in its bed. The common water wagtail also occurs.

I find that the root of the common Potentilla is used here, as about Nunklow, as a subst.i.tute 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 gra.s.ses, 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 ca.n.a.ls, 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 against the streams draining these, it dies away towards evening, generally. It is cold in the extreme, and must check vegetation extremely. Syras, common here, as at Bhoomlungtung.

The ridge above this which is crossed coming from Bhoomlungtung, is 9,947 feet high, yet no snow was on the ground. The contrast between it and Pemee in regard to snow and vegetation is remarkable; there the woods were thick, luxuriant, and varied, here nothing is to be seen but Abies pendula. I consider this a proof that A. pendula is a native of places below much snow, and that where snow abounds, it will not be found to extend above 8,000 feet. The dwarf bamboo of Sanah is common here, covering large patches of ground, Lamium of Bulphai in the vicinity of temples, and enclosing paG.o.das. The people here evince great skill in figures, but none in architecture.

The Soobah's house, a castellated heterogeneous mansion, spread over much ground, the defences on one side reaching nearly to the level of the valley. The k.u.mpa dogs are fierce and handsome, with the bark of a mastiff, they are not apparently deterred by threats, but rather the contrary. A woman with dropsy, wrapped in filthy clothes, presented herself and evinced great anxiety to have her pulse felt, but the dirt of her clothes was such, that I made excuses.

Manure for the land consists of pine leaves, etc. mixed with cow-dung.

The cattle are well littered; and gra.s.s 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 cla.s.ses 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 gra.s.sy slope, after which we entered fir woods, these at first were almost entirely const.i.tuted 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 faeminies pendulis, Bupleurum, Hydrangea, Spiraea 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, Verbasc.u.m 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, Elaeagnus, 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 alt.i.tudes, were observed. The subsequent descent was through woods of A. pendula, with a few of A.

spinulosa intermixed.

The limits of A. densa, A. spinulosa and A. pendula, Melianthus, Acer sterculiacea, Thibaudia orbicularis, A. cedroides, Rosa microphylla, Pedicularis, Hydrangea, Baptisia, Berberis spathulata were well determined. They may be expressed as follows: A. densa, 10 to 13,000 feet, A. spinulosa, 9 to 10,500 feet, A. pendula, 6 to 9,000 feet, Melanthus, 9,500 feet, Acer sterculiaceum, 9,800 to 10,000 feet, Thibaudia orbicularis, 10,000 feet, A. cedroides, 9,000 to 9,800 feet, Rosa microphylla, 9,800 to 13,000 feet, Pedicularis, 10 to 12,500 feet, Hydrangea, 4 to 10,000 feet unless two species are confounded, Baptisia, 9 to 9,800 feet, Berberis spathulata, 9 to 10,000 feet.

_Jaisa_ is a good sized village for Bootan, and the houses are rather large. We were lodged in the castle, a large building, with a capacious flagged court-yard, surrounded by galleries: we were housed in the grand floor of the higher portion fronting the gate. A good deal of wheat cultivation occurs around. The village is situated in a small nullah, surrounded on all sides by pine-clad hills. The vegetation is precisely the same as at Juggur, with the exception of a Ligustrum, which is common along the nullah. Larks, red-legged crows and ravens, abound here.

_March 5th_.--Our march consisted of a progress along levelish ground up the river, occasionally rounding small eminences: we then commenced the ascent of a ridge, the summit of which we reached about half past- twelve. Snow is common above 9,000 feet. The descent was steep and uninterrupted from about 2,000 feet, when we reached a small river.

Thence we ascended a little to descend again, we continued over a ravine at nearly the same level, for some time proceeding over undulated ground: on reaching the debouchure of the ravine into a larger one running north and south, we commenced to descend rapidly until we came to an elevation situated above Tongsa, to this place the descent was excessively steep.

The march was thirteen miles long, the direction west.

At a temple near Jaisa found the Juniper of Oongar in flower, and arboreous, attaining a height of about 40 feet. The whole march up, nearly to the summit, was through pine woods, A. pendula and spinulosa being intermixed for some time. I noticed Primula globifera, Eucalypta, Thibaudia orbicularis, Aruncus, Rosa ramis hispidis, Dipsacus, Prunella, Potentilla, Gnaphalium, Sphagnum, Daphne papyracea, Tofieldia, Gaultheria nummularoides, as we approached the base of the ridge or rather the spot at which the ascent commenced. At this place Abies cedroides commenced, and Abies pendula became uncommon.

On a bank here, I gathered abundance of mosses, Bartramia, Dicrana, etc.

and some Jungermanniae.

The ascent was through precisely similar vegetation, in one place it was exceedingly pretty, consisting of sward with pines. Here snow was lying on the ground in sheltered places to the depth of several inches. The ground hence was levelish, but between this place and the summit a rise of a hundred feet took place. Between these places Abies densa, cedroides and spinulosa, occurred, but this was uncommon, Rosa ramis hispidis, Salix of yesterday, Bambusa of Sanah, stunted Pteris aquilina, Betuloidea, Hydrangea, Hypnum rufescens, scolopendrioid as well as below: Spiraea belloides, Rhododendron obovatum, which varies on the same plant with ferruginous and white leaves, Sphagnum, Thibaudia orbicularis. On sward Gentiana minima.

As the snow increased, Abies cedroides became less, Abies densa more common. At the very summit Parna.s.sia, Polygonum rheum, Composita penduliflora, Rhododendron hispidum, Berberis spathulata, which had occurred previously, Vaccinium pumilium, ciliatum, Gentiana minima, Swertia, Cnicus, Compositae frequent, l.a.b.i.ata spicata of Dhonglaila.

The descent was at first open, through swardy places: here Acer sterculiaceum, Geranium scandens, Avena, Abies densa, Juniperus fruticosa, raro arbuscula.

At 9,800 feet, Rhododendron foliis lanceolato-oblongis subtus ferruginea tomentosis, arborea, became very common, forming large woods, Abies densa interspersed, Juniperus, Betuloidea which has six or seven layers of bark, the _boj-putah_ of Hindoostan according to Blake, Rosa microphylla, Hemiphragma, Daphne papyracea, Dicranum stratum, etc.

At 9,500 feet, Clematis, Berberis asiatica, commences, Betula, common Andropogoneous gra.s.ses.

At 9,300 feet, Primula pulcherrima, Abies cedroides very common, Abies densa ceasing, Buddlaea purpurescens, Aruncus, Bupleurum.

At 9,200 feet, Lonicera villosa, Vaccinium cyaneum, Bambusa alia, Abies densa ceasing.

At 9,000 feet, the jungle now became humid, Gaultheria flexuosa, Mespilus microphyllus, Quercus ilecifolia, Tetrantheroides baccis nigris, Gaultherium nummularifolia common, Rubia cordifolia! Hydrangea.