February 5th.—­Left:  descended immediately from the town to the bridge over the Monass.  The descent is steep but winding, the face of the hill being nearly precipitous.  Close to the river we passed a small field of Cajanus, used for feeding the lac insect.  The bridge is a suspension one, the chains, one on either side, being of iron in square links; the curve is considerable, in the form of the letter V, the sides being of mat.  Hence it is difficult to cross, and this is increased by the bridge swinging about considerably:  it is seventy yards in span, and about thirty above the Monass.

The Monass is 1,300 feet below Benka, it is a large river, the banks being about eighty yards apart, but this space is not generally filled with water.  Its violence is extreme.

We continued along this river some time, gradually rising from its bed until we ascended nearly 1,000 feet.  We continued at this elevation until we reached Nulka, to which place we descended a little.  The whole march was through a barren, rocky, burnt-up country.  The Monass was in sight nearly the whole distance.  Passed two villages, both small, one on the right and one on the left bank of the river.  No change in vegetation occurred except that we came upon pines, P. longifolia about a mile and a half from Nulka, coming into flower.  I am almost inclined to think this is different from the Khasya species, Kurrimia, Indigofera pulchra, Desmodium, Buddleia sp., were the only plants of a novel nature that occurred.  The hills are chiefly clothed with Andropogoneous grasses, very little cultivation was observed, but there seemed to be more on high hills to the east.

[Gradient Benka to Nulka:  g229.jpg]

CHAPTER XII.

Continuation of the journey in Bootan.

The following table affords the result of observations made with the view to determine the relation between temperature and altitude, in these parts.

Difference of    Difference of  Value in height of
Temperature       Elevation     1 degrees of Temperature

Benka and Monass, 13 degrees Fahr. 1,222 feet 94 feet

Benka and Nulka, 4 = 406 = 01-5/10

Benka and Khumna, 13 = 1,110 = 85-5

Khumna and Nulka, 16 = 1,516 = 89-3

Monass and Nulka, 9 = 816 = 90-6

Monass and Khumna,      26 =            2,332 =           89-9
----------
6)550-8
----------
Mean value of 1 degrees of Fahr. as indicated on the barometer   91-8

Second series of observation

Benka and Monass, 13 degrees Fahr.1,193-4 feet 91-8 feet

Benka and Nulka, 4 = 367-2 = 91-8

Benka and Khumna, 13 = 1,178-1 = 90-6