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A large slate forest pigeon & a few doves were also seen. The hedges bordering the road were made of long straggly rose bushes covered by clematis which was covered by a profusion of white blossoms. The valleys were all devoted to rice & the hillsides were planted to small [[?pieces]] & a few places spruce trees were seen in groves. One of the common wild flowers was a [[strikethrough]] purple [[/strikthrough]] crimson primrose, a yellow flowered [[?typericium]] bush was also seen. During the day we met chiefly met caravans, some 300 pack animals, mules, horses & donkeys. The salt is a government monopoly. It is transported in great [[?blocks]] many 600 lbs each, two of them making a pack load. Much of the country was clayey with shale rocks & sandstone in