Funaria heygrometrina abounds in the larch wood here.

This is a very cold place, although 550 feet below Phoollong:  it is much colder than that place:  thermometer at 7 A.M. 34 degrees.

Snow still remains on the height around; heavy snow on the lofty ridge to the north; strong south-east winds prevail here.

[Tassgong from the Koollong:  p241.jpg]

February 12th.—­Tassyassy, which is also called Tassangsee, is a small place apparently consisting of one large house, belonging to the Soobah, and some religious edifices, the other houses belonging to it are scattered about among the adjoining cultivation.  The Soobah we have just learnt is absent at Tongsa, so we have no opportunity of comparing his rank with that of the Tassgong man.  His house is however, much larger; it is situated on a promontory formed by the debouching of a considerable sized torrent into the Koollong.  The bridge is at the foot of this hill, which is about 400 feet high:  the house is accessible to the north and west only.  Half-way up a high hill to the north-west is a fort! and between the foot of this hill and the Rajah’s house there is a wall with a tower at the north-west end, and a house at the south-east.  In the afternoon the weather threatened snow, but it ended in very slight rain.

February 13th.—­Thermometer at 7 A.M. 33 degrees:  at 9 P.M. 31 degrees:  cloudy.  Observed Conyza nivea, Composita penduliflora, Agrimonia, Stemodia grandiflora, a species of Alopecurus in inundated rice fields, Fragaria, in the wood, Arenaria, Gymnostomum on the terraces.  An Arabis in cornfields with a Viola, probably V. patrinia, Gaultheria deflexa and Gerardia of Churra.  The fir woods are comparatively bare of mosses and lichens.  Shot an Alauda, a Fringilla, and a curious climber with the tail of a woodpecker, at least so far as regards the pointing of the feathers, plumage of Yunx, and beak of Certhia.

Fine cypresses were seen opposite Tassangsee.

February 14th.—­Left Tassangsee, diverging from the Koollong at that place, and following the nullah, which falls into that river below the Soobah’s house.  The march was a generally, continued, gradual ascent; we crossed two considerable streams by means of rude wooden bridges, and the whole march was a wet splashy one, owing to the abundance of water.  Snow became plentiful towards the latter end.  The direction was west, the distance about seven miles.  We passed two or three deserted villages.

We commenced ascending through woods of stunted oaks, Rhododendrons, Gaultheria arborea.  The chief under-shrubs being Daphne papyracae, Gaultheria fruticosa, Primula Stuartii, Lycopodium of Surureem, Thibaudia myrtifolia continue, the Alnus of Beesa occurred plentifully along the bed of the nullah.  Spiraea decomposita, Valeriana simplicifolia, Conaria, Scabiosa, Fragaria, Potentilla, Geranium, Artemisia major, Spiraea bella, Hedera, Viburnum caerulescens, Q. robur, Crawfurdia speciosa also occurred.