26 ASCENT OF THE BHORE GHAUT. 



" pawn " chewing, so common with the people of India, 

 it may interest some of my readers to know that a 

 similar habit exists amongst their antipodes, the 

 Bolivians and the Argentines, but they use the dried 

 " coca " leaf [Erythroxydon, a shrub) for that purpose, 

 with a little finely powdered unslaked lime, and they 

 sometimes drink an infusion of the leaf, which is said 

 to possess wonderful sustaining powers, and is used as a 

 narcotic and stimulant. American Indians on long 

 foot journeys generally carry a little bundle of coca 

 leaves to chew en route. If taken too much, however,, 

 the effect is very enervating, resembling that of opium. 

 Recently the " coca " plant has been introduced in Mala- 

 bar, where it thrives admirably, and is easily propa- 

 gated from seed. The value of its fermented and 

 kiln-dried leaves is ten shillings per pound in the 

 London market. 



One of the pleasantest and most interesting excur- 

 sions from Bombay is that to the old cave-temple of 

 Karlee, situated some four miles beyond Lanowlee, a 

 railway station half way to Poonah. The guide book 

 recommends starting by the midday mail train, and on 

 passing Khandalla to drop a civil note for the station 

 master, asking him to send up ponies to Lanowlee by 



