Lahul, Its Flora and Vegetable Products &C. from Communications

DR. AZTCHISON ON THE FLORA OF LAHUL. 69 Lahul, its Flora and Vegetable products &c. From communications received from the Rev. HEINRICHJAESOHKX, of the Moravian Mission. By J. E. T. BITCHISON,M.D., F.R.C.S.E., F.L.S. kc. [Read April 20, 1865.1 THEterm “ Buran ” is the name of the language spoken chiefly over Lahul and Kunwar, where it is called “Tiber-skad.” It belongs neither to the Tibetan nor Sanscritian family. The synonyms in the paper, except where niarked as belonging to another language, will be understood to belong to the “ Buran.” These are spelt in accordance with the pronunciation used by the Lahulees, and not according to the correct Tibetan spelling. Pronounce a as in father, barley. ,, e as in net, or ay in May. ,, i as in machine. ,, o as in so. ,, u as insure. ,, #h as sibilant 8 in leisure. LAHUL. “ Lahul consists of the valleys of the headwater0 of the Che- nab.”* It is surrounded by a circle of high mountains, which on the south-west has a break in it j and through this opening passes the Chenab. The headwaters consist mainly of two streams. One, called the Chundra, which may, indeed, be regarded as the true source of the Chenab, springs from the base of the mountains that bound Lahul to the north, at the most eastern limit of Lahul, running parallel and close to the bases of the mountains that bound Lahul on the east ; and, at the union of the hills that bound Lahul on the east with those that help to encircle it on the south, the river makes a rapid bend to the west, keeping a west-by-north course parallel to the hills that form the southern boundary, and from this continues in the course of the Chenab, passing through the opening of the circle of mountains at an elevation of about 8500 feet. The second river, that joins with the Chundra to form the Chenab, is the Bhaga. This rises close to the Bara-Lacha pass, runs south by east, and joins the Chundra a few miles before its passage through the opening in the hills. The union of these two rivers forms the Chunia-Bhaga or Chenab. This runs for some little distance through the province of Lahul. * ‘ Flora Indica,’ by J. D. Hooker and T. Thompson. 70 DR. AITCHISON ON TEE FLORA OF LAUUL. The country from which the accompanying plants were obtained is the Chundra valley as far as Koksar and up to the Rotang pass (13,000 feet), along the whole of the Bhaga valley up to the Bara-Lacha pass (16,000 feet), and in the valley of that portion of the Chenab river that is in Lahul. The Chundra valley above Koksar was not visited by Mr. Jaeschke, but was by Mr. Heyde ; and from what he saw of it, he considered that it would be likely to prove of much interest to the botanist, as it presented not a few plants that do not occur in the rest of Lahul, and apparently seemed to enjoy a larger quantity of rain and moisture, as seen by the presence of Poly- podium lineare (Phymatodes), Thunb. The Lahulees do not recognize any of the above rivers by any further term than that of “ river,” which they apply to all large strcams indiscriminately. The names Chundra-Bhaga and Chenab are of Hindoo origin. Where the union of the two rivers takes place to form the Chcnilb, the altitude is 9000 feet. The bed of the Chenab through Lahul does not average above 8500 feet. The land forming this portion of the Chenab valley is by the natives termed “ Manchat ” or the “ low land ” or the “ lower valley.” At Kyelang, a small village on the Bhagtc, with an elevation of 9500 feet, is the Mission station. What is spoken of in this paper as “ The Valley of Lahul ” may be considered to average from 8500 to 10,000 feet in elevatioii ; and it is to be understood that all plants stilted to occur in the “ Ion-er valley,” reach only an elevation of 9000 feet, and hence can only occur in the Chenab valley,-as, for instance, the Walnut, which is only to he met with in the “ lower valley.” Climate.-Spring commences about the middle of April, and is usually ushered in by the springing of grass. In ordinary years the wild goosebei-ry will shew its leaves about the latter end of April. Snow lies at Kyelang to nearly the end of April, and then rapidly vanishes under the influence of the sun’s rays, which daily become more powerful. The dandelion, No. 6, Iris Karnaoneizsis, Wall., and No. 63, Gentialzn, sp. (unnamed), are the first plants to show their early flowers, soon, however, followed by the Anemones. Tussilago farfara, No. 248, flowers throughout the whole winter on ground that map be free from snow. In early spring the natives are very badly off for food, both for DR. AITCHISON ON THE FLORA OP LAHUL. 71 themselves and chiefly for their cattle j an early season therefore is hailed and looked forward to with great joy. The natives at this time make use largely of the young leaves of the dandelion, and many other plants, cooked in the form of spinach, more especially the young leaves of No. 85, Eremwrw spectabilis, Bieb., which grows in great luxuriance in particular localities. This was considered by the Misaion a very good vegetable. Rain, in but very small quantities, falls through the summer from May to September. During 1864 for three months the rain- gauge at Kyelang marked less than nine-tenths of an inch ; but it must be remembered that this was an unusually dry season. Ploughing and sowing are carried out extensively in May. The harvest is collected about the middle of September j and frost begins to be felt early in October, not unfrequently in the latter part of September. From this time the temperature very gradually begins to fall; and snow not unfrequently makes its appearance about the middle of October. This, however, is only the forerunner of winter, as usually, on the whole, October, No- vember, and December are lovely, clear, dry, frosty months. The great snow-falls introducing dead winter occur about the beginning or middle of January ; and from this time to the beginning or middle of April the vast expanse of country is one mass of snow, the people for these four months being all but confined to their houses. Ice does not occur upon any of the streams, from the great rapidity with which they run j occasionally, however, on their edges a little may be found. Relative to the snow-limit of this district we would refer the reader to Cunningham ' on Ladak and the surrounding coun- tries.' At 16,000 feet, the Bara-Lacha pass, during July, August, and perhaps September, may be crossed without passing through or touching snow. The top of the Kardang hill, of an elevation of 15,000 feet (from a rough trigonometrical measurement), in ordinary years is free of snow in July, beginning again to be covered in October. A snow bridge has now existed for several years at 15,000 feet, not far from the Bara-Lacha pass. The general appearance of the Lahul valley, up to 10,000 feet, in midsummer is that of being richly cultivated and very verdant ; but to keep up this appearance, an easy access to and a liberal supply of water for the irrigation of the crops under cultivation is essen- 72 DR AITCIIISON ON TEE FLORA OF TAIIUL. tial. This farming is carried out more upon the principle of gardening than of field cultivation, as without careful irrigation the crops would completely fail from the extreme dryness of the climate. At about 11,000 feet cultivation ceases ; and above this height, with the exception of where the forests exist, the general aspect of the country is barren and arid in the extreme. The inhabited part of the Chundra valley from Koksar to the union of the two rivers, presents a barren treeless aspect. The left bank is totally uninhabited and uncultivated, due chiefly to the great steepness of the rocks, and the presence of numerous precipices ; a few miles, however, before the junction of the two rivers some small villages occur, and some cultivation, with one of the two large forests of Pinus excelsa, called the Mooling forest ;” whereas, on the right bank, we have a tolerable number of villages with a much more extensive cultivation. , Prom the junction of the Bhaga, passing up the Bhaga river, there are villages and cult’vation upon both banks of the river (though more on the nortyern bank) for ten miles ; here the second forest of Pinus excelsa exists, via. the ‘‘ Kardang,” also on the left bank of the river. At the village of Tino, which is seven miles, as the crow flies, beyond Kardang, all the cultivation on the eastern bank ceases ; from this point, passing upwards, a few villages at some distance from each other are to be met with on the western bank, the last village being ‘‘ Dharchee,” 11,000 feet in elevation, and about nine miles, as the crow flies, from “Tino.” At the last house, 6‘ Patseo,” a day’s march further up, no cultivation exists. From Darchee upwards the valley becames much contracted, nar- roAer and in every way more sterile ; the juniper, which existed as a tree, is now but a poor stunted shrub ; and this even becomes rare.

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