December 5th, 1840.—­Went to Mount Fagoo.  After passing Mount Jacka, or Chaka, you come on a bare country which continues at least on all the southern aspects until you reach the ascent to Muhassoo, which is at first steep, then gradual and long; the vegetation remains unchanged until the Muhassoo ascent is begun upon; then Rhododendron, Quercus and Gaultheria soon cease, and their places are occupied by a Quercus much like Q. semecarpifolius, Pinus excelsa also occurs rather abundantly, and of good size, the other vegetation continues.

The first part of Muhassoo, along which the road runs for some hundred yards under its crest, is occupied by grassy vegetation, chiefly Andropogon and Schoenanthus; Gnaphalia, Buddlaea, Labiata, Polygonum of Chugur, Thymus, etc., and the crest of the same is chiefly occupied by the undescribed oak.

But where the ridge takes a north and south direction, the west face becomes almost exclusively occupied by Deodars, among which as one proceeds up, Pinus Smithiana occurs; after turning again close to the little Bazar on the north face, the road continues on this side to Fagoo, extending through a heavy and magnificent forest of Pinus Smithiana and Quercus semecarpifolius, the Deodar almost ceasing to appear; occasional knolls are passed, on which grasses, Gnaphalium, etc. occur, the scenery is very beautiful, the trees being ornamented with the grey pendulous lichen, and with Neckerae, particularly the dark Neckera pendula.  The underwood consists here and there of shrubs, but generally herbaceous vegetation, as grasses, Gnaphalia, etc.

In fact Muhassoo is genuinely Himalayan.

From Fagoo eastward the country is bare, except at great elevations; near Muttiara to the north, forest-clad mountains occur, also at Huttoo, and far away to the eastward other fir-clad ridges appear.

It may be said that the really fine forests are restricted above, within 8,000 feet.

The Smithia pine is a really fine tree, often 100 feet high, and three to five feet in diameter, known by its downward curved branches, pendulous branchlets, and pendulous oblong cones:  many dead trees from the effects of barking were observed.  It is worthy of remark, that potatoes are now cultivated in these woods.

The Deodar is not so large as Smithia, and is known by its tabular branches and ovoid erect cones.

Andropogoneous grasses occur high up; even at the summit Acanthaceae occur, scarcely any change in the terrestrial ferns, among which Adiantum is found in profusion along the road, little change in Mosses, a Polytrichum occurs at the higher elevations, also a Dicranum on dead trunks of trees.

The only new arboreous vegetation consists in an Acer, which is a small tree, also a small Poplar and Quercus semecarpifolius, this varies greatly, Pinus Smithiana, Limonia laureola, a shrubby Rhododendron.

Fagoo is only 5,600 feet above the adjacent heights.