i86 THE FORESTS OF UPPER INDIA 



light-green foliage of the young trees are charming to the 

 eye. Above the chir comes the dark evergreen oak forest 

 with rhododendron up to 10,000 feet.* Below the chir 

 come the tropical jungles of sal and palm and acacias. 



The chir timber is extensively used for all building 

 purposes at Naini Tal and the other hill stations, and 

 makes capital rafters, beams, and flooring boards for 

 house building ; but it never fails to twist a bit when 

 seasoned. The forest extends all along the valleys of the 

 great rivers Alaknanda, Dhauli, and Sarju, where timber 

 can be floated down to the plains. 



The principal wild animals found in the chir districts 

 are the gooral,"]* or Himalayan chamois, and leopards, 

 which are not uncommon, the former living on the very 

 steep and rocky slopes and precipices, the latter in caves. 



The small tent is pitched near where the gooral fre- 

 quent, in herds of three or four together or singly. They 

 are found in the very early morning and late in the even- 

 ing grazing on the slopes. In the day-time they hide 

 under rocks on the face of the steepest khuds. 



Awaking before daylight, we are out on the slopes 

 below the camp when the first streak of dawn appears, 

 touching up the mountain tops with a roseate glow. 

 The chmbing is difficult on the slippery grass slopes ; 

 and paths made by the sharp feet of the gooral must be 

 followed in order to get round the spurs and buttresses 

 of the hill, clinging on for bare hfe to bits of jutting rock, 

 and keeping a good look-out when rounding the points 

 of the ridges. It is slow work, and our native shikari is 

 all excitement to catch sight of the game. Their dull, 



* Quercus incana (banse), common ; silver under-Ieaf. 



Quercus floribunda (tillonge), a fine tree. 



Quercus semicarpifolia (khersoo), grows to a great size ; fine 

 timber. 

 \ Nemorhccdiis goral. 



