123 Abode of Gods iris, masses of forget-me-nots with yellow king cups by the streams. Innumerable butterflies of alpine forms including at least two species of large swallow-tails, with many singing birds were about us on all sides we spent a whole day there." But unfortunately after these early wanderings, the valley fell into oblivion. It goes to the credit of Frank S. Smythe that he broke the spell by breaking the news that there was a place called valley of flowers which could be bargained for "let civilisation have its noise and me my quietitude." , , Frank S. Smythe was so miich fascinated and charmed by the attractions of the valley that he again visited it in the year 1936 after having visited it in 1931 while returning from Kamet and recorded his experiences, "wading knee deep through the ocean of flowers, ranging in colour from the sky blue of the poppies to the deep wine-red of potentillas. To us the Bhyundar Valley will always remain the valley of flowers. It is a place to escape for those wearied of modern civilisation,"1 He submitted sam- ples of seeds and pods to the Royal Botanical Garden, Edinburg. The escape from the modern civilisation has become more urgent in view of the crowded and chaotic" confusion of contemporary civilisation .and corrupting influence of the mod culture. Frank Smythe reduced his experiences about the valley in a book entitled, Valley of Flowers which attracted wide acclaim and made t|ie wlley a much sought after paradise. Amongst $uch early eaathusjasts was Mjss^ Jpan Margaret Legge who was pommj&sipned by the Royal Botanical