distinguished by the taste, which is insipid and unpleasant. When
these springs could be traced to their source, they sunk the thermometer
eight or ten degrees below the temperature of the atmosphere.
May 23 and 23. In ascending the hill from Buxaduar, there is to
be seen much of an imperfect quartz, of various forms and colour,
havmg in some places the appearance of marble; but from chemical
experiments, it was found to possess very different properties. This
sort of quartz, when of a pure white, and free from any metallic
colouring matter, is used as an ingredient in porcelain. I have not
seen any that promises to answer that purpose, better than what is to
be met with, in the mountains near Buxaduar. It is known to mine-
ralists in that state, by the name of quartz gritstone. The ropk which
forms the basis of these mountains, dips in almost every direction, and
is covered with a rich and fertile soil, but in no place level enough to
be cultivated. Many European plants are to be met with on the road
to Murishong; many different sorts of mosses, fern, wild thyme,
peaches, willow, ehickweed, and grasses common to the more southern
parts of Europe; nettles, thistles, dock, strawberry, raspberry, and
many destructive creepers, some peculiar to Europe.
Murishongd is the first pleasant and healthy spot tube met with oh
this side of Boutan. It lies high, and much of the ground about it, is
cleared and cultivated; the soil, rich and fertile, produces good crops.
The only plant now under culture, is a species of the polygonum of
Linnaeus, producing a triangular seed, nearly the size of barley, and
the common food of the inhabitants. It was now the beginning of
* Murichom.
their harvest; and the ground yields them, as in other parts of Boutan,
a second crop,of rice. Here are to be found in. the jungles, two species
of the kurus of LtntiSBus; one known by thé name of the bastard
cinnamon. The bark of the root of this- plant, when dried, has very
much the taste and flavour of cinnamon; it is used modiefaafly‘by
the. natives. The chenopodium,: producing I the semen Samcnieunit j or
worntseed, a medicine formerly in great character, and used in those
diseases from whlehi itis named, is common-1 here.
Found in the' neighbourhood of this place, all the European- plants
we had met with on the road. The aseeöt; feöbr to Murishong
is upon the whole great, with a sensible change in the state of
the air.
May 2S. On the road to Choofea* found all the Murishong plants,
cinnamon tree, willow, and one Or tWofotS-f strawberries-every Where
and very good, and a few bilberry plants.
Much sparry font, and a sort of granite with- Whroh-'the rö-ad is
paved. There is a great deal of talc in the. stones and seif, but in too
small pieces to-be useful. Frequent beds of clay and pore stem. Found
two mineral wells lightly impregnated with iron, with-much appeal*
ance of that metal in this part of th© country pand they are net unacquainted
with the method of extracting it from the stones, but still
despise its use in building. Towards Choofea there are -many well
cultivated fields of wheat and barley.
May 26. Road ta Funukka*, From Choofea the cdttfttry opens’, and
presents to view many well cultivated fields and distant villages; a
' Chuka. f Punugga.