DEHRA 227 



the large mango tree of the groves, the tree that I 

 have been describing, is quite distinct from the small 

 mango tree of the gardens, which bears the celebrated 

 fruit. This last, the fruit tree, is a grafted tree, and 

 does not exceed in size the lemon or orange tree. The 

 large mango tree of the groves also bears a fruit, but 

 it is one of a very inferior description — small and 

 suffused with a flavour resembling turpentine. Though 

 to a European taste almost uneatable, the fruit is 

 much appreciated by the poorer classes of natives, so 

 much so, that the sale of the fruit yields a considerable 

 income to the proprietors of the larger groves. 



But to return to my stay at the plantations. 



Most pleasantly the time went by. In the early 

 morning we rode or walked ; in the day I had my 

 office work ; towards sunset we strolled about the 

 gardens or sat on the lawn. The view was one which 

 I was never weary of contemplating. Behind us rose 

 the great wall of the Himalaya ; before us lay the 

 valley, just then an expanse of ripening crops, prettily 

 dotted over with groves of trees and small villages ; 

 beyond, and bounding the horizon, stretched the long 

 green forest slope that led up to the Shewalics. It was 

 behind the slope that the sun set ; but for long after 

 the sun had set for us he continued to shine on the 

 Himalaya. Slowly, gradually, the shadows crept up 

 the mountains, so slowly that the highest peaks still 

 glowed with ruddy light when all the valley around us 

 was wrapped in twilight gloom. With the dark the air 

 grew cold. We left the lawn for the bungalow, dined, 

 and spent the evening by a fire of blazing logs. 



