420 HIMALAYAN MIASMITIC FOGS. 



like masses of vapour, almost as if it was water, while 

 the atmosphere may remain perfectly clear above. 

 When the fog therefore reaches the head of the ravine 

 it is still propelled, and flows over the crest of the 

 dividing ridge, and then floats like a belt of cloud 

 along the higher slopes of the hills. 



Senchal was therefore, owing to its position already 

 described, almost constantly enveloped in these fogs; 

 the scud of the mist, being thus carried across the 

 ridge at that point, was sure to be charged, even at 

 that elevation, with the miasmic vapours of the Terai 

 below, hence as might be expected a great deal of 

 sickness always prevailed there, such as rheumatism, 

 dysentery, and febrile disease of severe type, and 

 when the sun was thus veiled by mist, the cold was 

 always very severely felt. A portion of H.M.'s 8oth 

 Regiment were in 1 848 severe sufferers in this respect. 

 It was also found that the combined effects of cold, 

 the numerous cases of sickness, and the frequent 

 prevalence of these fogs, produced a deep feeling of 

 depression among the men who were quartered there ; 

 many of whom came up insufficiently protected with 

 the necessary warm clothing, after a long residence on 

 the hot plains of India. It is understood that there 

 were several cases of suicide, and that things in fact 

 became so bad, that had the command been retained 

 there it came to this : that there would soon have been 

 no men left to command. The place was therefore 

 wisely abandoned, but not until after considerable losses 

 had been incurred. 



The change to the present position at Darjeeling, 

 and Jelapahar, has proved in every way an extremely 

 fortunate one, for from their position on the reverse 



