This day I gathered about 130 species, the march was really delightful.  The plants marked thus * indicate elevation.

Madder is furnished by both Rubia munjista and R. cordifolia, these species are quite distinct, the latter affecting greater elevations than the former, scarcely descending below 4,000 feet.

Scarcely any water occurred on the route; from just above Khegumpa, a beautiful valley is seen to the left, with a good deal of cultivation.  No large villages were seen.

[Gradient Rydang to Khegumpa:  g210.jpg]

January 25th.—­Khegumpa.  This is a pretty place; but the whole country has a wintry appearance from the trees having mostly deciduous leaves; it is a small village, not containing twelve houses.  Pagodas with the inscription-bearing walls occur as usual; on a small hill rising from just below the village, a large house with out-houses belonging to a Lam Gooroo, is the prettiest bit of architecture I have yet seen.  We put up in a small house, of the usual poor construction, capable of containing four or six people, the roofs are of wood, the planks being kept down by stones.  The evening was very cold, but the thermometer did not fall below 44 degrees.  Here a solitary specimen of Pinus was seen.

A beautiful tree, with pendulous leaves and cones, which resemble those of Abies, occurred.  Rhododendron is common here.  Around the hut I observed Lobelia, Rumex, Quercus, Ranunculus, Plantago, Leucas ciliata, Gnaphalia, Rubus, Urtica urentior, Rubi 2, Pteris aquilina, Geranium, Galium, Artemisia major, Fragariae, Betula? ramis pendulis, foliis lineari lanceolatis, Jubrung, Phlomoides, in flower, Spiraea bella, Tetranthera, Daucus, Gleichenia major, Oxalis corniculata, Dipsacus.  The trees were covered with Lichens; the only cultivated plants I saw, and of these only straggling individuals, were tobacco and Bhobosa.

In a wood at the base of the hill on which the Lam Gooroo’s house is situated, Saurauja hispida, and S. arborea,* Woodwardia,* Rubia cordifolia, Oaks, Spiraea bella, decomposita, Stemodia, Cerasus, Curculigo, Pogonatherum,* Carduus, Polygonum rheoides, Panax, Bucklandia, Berberis asiatica and Porana, occurred.

Our march, after passing this hill, commenced by a descent through a damp wood of Oaks, Eurya.  Here Swertiae 2 occurred on banks.  Clematis verbesina, Gordonia, Erythrina, Myrica.  Thence we passed along a ridge, the forests being stunted and wintry, abounding with Rhododendron and oaks.  Myrica, and pendulous lichens occurred in abundance, but grasses predominate, chiefly Airoid and Andropogons.

From this to the right was seen a beautiful valley with a moderate-sized village and picturesque houses, with considerable and very clever cultivation.