family, but I also collected species of Nepeta and Gagea,
and a pretty little tulip. On the latter part of the
march, a small shrubby species of Amygdalus was very
abundant; and Fothergilla involucrata of Falconer, a
plant of the natural order Hamamelidea, which was just
bursting into flower, formed a dense coppice on the hills
on the north bank of the river. Though the greater
part of the plants was new to me, still I recognized a
number of species which occur in the valley of the Indus.
Juniperus excelsa was common in rocky places, and the
Bibes and rose were the same as those common at Is-
kardo.
On the 19th, the road still followed the course of the
Sind river, now a rapid torrent, much swollen by the
heavy rains, flowing through an open valley. A good
deal of level ground was interposed between the mountains
and the stream, and was laid out in terraced fields
evidently adapted for rice cultivation, but now quite bare.
I met with many very* interesting plants. Tussilago
Farfara was abundant, growing in gravelly places along
the river. In shady woods a species of Hepatica, with
a small white flower, first discovered by Dr. Falconer,
was common. In more sunny places a Primula and
Androsace were in full flower. On open sandy soil a
species of the curious Siberian genus Ceratocephalus was
a very striking novelty. On the higher hills there was
still dense forest of Pinus excelsa, spruce, silver fir, and
deodar, mixed with yew and Juniperus excelsa, and with
many deciduous-leaved trees, few of which were recognizable.
After travelling twelve miles I encamped at
Gangan, which is elevated about 6000 feet.
Next day I remained stationary; but on the 21st I
continued my journey to Ganderbal, nine miles further
and close to the point where the Sind valley expands
into the open plain of Kashmir. As I advanced, the
valley gradually widened, and turned more to the south.
There were several platforms, or steppes, as it were, of
nearly level arable land, one above another, and below
them the river flowed through a wide stony plain
The mountains on the right, high and snow-topped, receded
to a considerable distance; those on the left gradually
diminished in elevation, became less covered with
forest, and at last terminated in low ranges of bills
covered only with brush-wood. The road was extremely
pretty. At first it lay along the right bank of the river,
through fine underwood, and among beautiful meadows,
which skirted the bank of the stream; it then crossed
to the left bank, and, ascending the lower hills, entered
a fine wood, in which apricot, pear, and cherry trees, all
bursting into flower, were common, and to all appearance
wild, though they had probably spread into these woods
from the neighbouring villages. Latterly we emerged
upon a somewhat elevated platform sloping to the south,
covered with bushes and many fruit-trees, with here and
there a village, and a great deal of cultivated ground.
Where the Sind valley joined the plain of Kashmir, it
was several miles in width, and evidently richly cultivated.
The expanse of the plain of Kashmir was much
greater than I had anticipated; the mountains on its
south side, which were still covered with snow, were
in sight, but at a considerable distance.
Above Gond the valley of the Sind river is very poorly
t 2