480 THE BHORE GHAUT. Chap. XXVII. 



itself as combining all the advantages in which the pestiferous 

 banks of the Hooghly are deficient. Poena is within a few 

 hours' journey of the port of Bombay by railroad ; situated 

 on an elevated table-land, its climate is healthy and suitable 

 both for Europeans and natives ; and it is in a central 

 position as regards all the Presidencies of India. 



The railroad from Poena to Bombay stopped at Khandalla, 

 on the summit of the Bhore ghaut, where a portion of it 

 is still unfinished. The village of Kliandalla is perched on 

 the edge of a deep chasm, mountains rise up into sharp 

 peaks to the right and left, and there is a very extensive 

 view over the Concan plains. Here the passengers had to 

 get out of the train, and go down the ghaut by the excellent 

 road made by Sir John Malcolm, in huWock-gharries or 

 in palTcees, on ponies or on foot. The works of the railway 

 were, however, progressing fast; and when finished, the 

 railroad up the Bhore ghaut will be one of the most re- 

 markable works of the kind in the world. The station at 

 Khandalla is 1800 feet, and Kampuli, at the foot of the 

 ghaut, barely 200 feet above the sea. For a distance of 

 220 miles there are no passes for wheeled vehicles from 

 Bombay to the interior, except the Bhore and Tal ghauts, so 

 precipitous is the volcanic scarp which forms this portion of 

 the Avestern mountains. 



The railroad inchne down the Bhore ghaut is upwards 

 of fifteen miles long, the rise being 1831 feet, and the 

 average gradient 1 in 48. In this distance there will be 

 2535 yards of timnelling, besides an immense amount of 

 cutting and embanking, eight viaducts, and eighteen bridges. 

 The best known work of this kind in Europe is at Sem- 

 mering, across the Noric Alps ; but that of the Bhore ghaut 

 exceeds it in length, in height, and in the steepness of the 

 gradient. 



At the foot of the Bhore ghaut is the village of Kampuli, 



