MOUNTAIN ROAD. Ill 



ascent, one of the most delightful walks that I ever 

 met with in any part of the globe. The road winds 

 in zig-zags cut along the face of the hill, but we 

 frequently availed ourselves of native paths, which, 

 although much steeper, cut off corners and shortened 

 the route considerably. As we ascended, a great 

 change was observable in the nature of the forests, 

 although the vegetation was everywhere most 

 luxuriant. At the base the prevalent trees were 

 sal and send, varied with banians, patches of 

 bamboo, wild banana, or acacia. Here and there 

 gigantic festoons of leguminosse, or the Pothos 

 creeper, stretched high over head, whilst wild vines, 

 peppers, and convolvuli of every colour, formed 

 natural bowers of living verdure that courted 

 repose on every side. At an elevation of three 

 thousand feet, the alteration of the appearance 

 of the forest became strikingly apparent. The 

 tropical trees gradually disappeared, and were 

 replaced by evergreen oaks of magnificent foliage, 

 noble rhododendrons with enormous lemon-scented 

 blossoms, pines, magnolias, camellias and tree-ferns; 

 whilst the underwood consisted chiefly of yellow 



