sides are steep, and they are generally exceedingly barren; here and there I observed little terraced patches of cultivation, bnt these were few and far between. The view from the tops of these mountains on a clear day is very fine. The Valley of Deyra lies spread out to the southward, and appears as if bounded on all sides by hills, while to the northward nothing is seen but rugged barren mountains and deep glens. The snowy range is also visible when the atmosphere is clear.

Leaving these hill stations on the 30th of May, we went onwards in an easterly direction along the sides of the mountains. The country was very mountainous, and there were no traces of cultivation for many miles on this part of our journey. A long train of Paharies or hill-men carried our tents, luggage, and provisions. Dr. Jameson and myself rode on ponies, while Mrs. Jameson, who accompanied us, was carried in a jaun-pan, or kind of light sedanchair. In many places our road led along the sides of precipices which it made one giddy to look down, and had we made a single false step we should have fallen far beyond the reach of earthly aid.

On the journey along the upper sides and tops of these mountains, I had a good opportunity of observing the character of their vegetable productions. As Royle and other travellers have told us, the flora of the Himalayas at high elevations bears a striking resemblance to that of European countries; and I can add that it resembles still more the hill vegetation of the same latitudes in China. In fact many of the species found in the Himalayas are identical

with those which I met with on the Bohea mountains, and on the hills of Chekiang and Kiang-see. I might here give the names of the different plants met with on this journey from Mussooree to Paorie, but it will, perhaps, be better for me to refer the reader for such information to Royle's 'Illustrations of the Botany of the Himalayan Mountains.'

On the morning of the 6th of June we arrived at the Guddowli plantation near Paorie. This plantation is situated in the province of Eastern Gurhwal, in latitude 30° 8' north, and in longitude 78° 45′ east. It consists of a large tract of terraced land, extending from the bottom of a valley or ravine to more than 1000 feet up the sides of the mountain. Its lowest portion is about 4300 feet, and its highest 5300 feet, above the level of the sea: the surrounding mountains appear to be from 7000 to 8000 feet high. The plantation has not been measured, but there are, apparently, fully one hundred acres under cultivation.

There are about 500,000 plants, about 3400 of which were planted in 1844 and are now in full bearing; the greater portion of the others are much younger, having been planted out only one, two, or three years. There are besides a large number of seedlings in beds ready for transplanting.

The soil consists of a mixture of loam, sand, and vegetable matter, is of a yellow colour, and is most suitable for the cultivation of the tea-plant. It resembles greatly the soil of the best tea districts in China. A considerable quantity of stones are mixed

with it, chiefly small pieces of clay-slate, of which the mountains here are composed. Large tracts of equally good land, at present covered with jungle, might be made available in this district without interfering in any way with the rights of the settlers.

I have stated that this plantation is formed on the hill side. It consists of a succession of terraces, from the bottom to the top, on which the tea-bushes are planted. In its general features it is very like a Chinese tea-plantation, although one rarely sees tealands terraced in China. This, however, may be necessary in the Himalayas, where the rains fall so heavily. Here too a system of irrigation is carried on, although to a small extent only, owing to the scarcity of water during the dry season.

This plantation is a most promising one, and I have no doubt will be very valuable in a few years. The plants are growing admirably, and evidently like their situation. Some of them are suffering slightly from the effects of hard plucking, like those at Kaolagir; but this can easily be avoided in their future management. Altogether, it is in a most satisfactory condition, and shows how safe it is in matters of this kind to follow the example of the Chinese cultivator, who never makes his tea-plantations on low rice land and never irrigates.

The country about Paorie is entirely mountainous. Whichever way we look, east, west, south, or north, nothing is seen but mountains and hills, stony ravines, and deep glens. The view is bounded on the north and north-west by the snowy range.

The land is much more fertile than about Mussooree, and more thickly inhabited. Cultivated spots are everywhere visible, particularly on the lower portions of the hills and to about half way up their sides. All above that is generally barren, and, I should think, is rarely visited by man.

The Chinese manufacturers whom I had brought round from China were located on this farm. They had nice cottages and gardens given them, and everything was done which could add to their comfort in a strange land. On the morning I left Paorie the poor fellows got up early, and were dressed in their holiday clothes to bid me good bye. They brought me a packet of letters addressed to their relations in China, which they begged me to forward; they also offered me a small present, which they asked me to accept as a slight token of their gratitude for the kindness I had shown them during our long journey. This, of course, I declined, while I told them how much I was pleased with the motives by which they were actuated. I confess I felt sorry to leave them. We had travelled together for a long time, and they had always looked up to me with the most perfect confidence as their director and friend. While I had always treated them kindly myself, I had taken measures to have them kindly treated by others, and never, from the time of their engagement until I left them in their new mountain home, had they given me the slightest cause for anger.

We now proceeded to visit the plantations in the vicinity of Almorah. The country became more and

more fertile as we advanced, and numerous excellent lands, well suited for the cultivation of the tea-plant, were passed on our route. On the 29th of June we arrived at the Hawulbaugh plantation.

This tea-farm is situated on the banks of the river Kosilla, about six miles north-west from Almorah, the capital of Kumaon. It is about 4500 feet above the level of the sea. The land is of an undulating character, consisting of gentle slopes and terraces, and reminded me of some of the best tea-districts in China. Indeed, the hills themselves, in this part of the Himalayas, are very much like those of China, being barren near their summit and fertile on their lower sides.

Thirty-four acres of land are under tea-cultivation here, including the adjoining farm of Chullar. Some of the plants appear to have been planted in 1844; but, as at Paorie, the greater number are only from one to three years old.

The soil is what is usually called a sandy loam; it is moderately rich, being well mixed with vegetable matter. It is well suited for tea-cultivation. The greater part of the farm is terraced as at Guddowli, but some few patches are left in natural slopes in accordance with the Chinese method. Irrigation is practised to a limited extent.

All the young plants here are in robust health and are growing well, particularly those that are on land where water cannot flood or injure them. Some few of the older bushes appear rather stunted; but this is evidently the result of water remaining stagnant