THE OUTER HIMALAYAH. 23 



with us, we accompanied Mr. M k n to his land, 

 which lies at a little distance from the Government 

 gardens. On the brow of a small slope his tent was 

 pitched, and, all around, a scene of the greatest activity 

 prevailed. Close to, a row of huts for the workpeople 

 were heing made, while, in different spots, gangs of men 

 were hacking up the soil that, in native hands, had lain 

 so long neglected and barren, but from which English 

 capital and energy were about to reap a golden harvest. 

 Considering the few months that Mr. M k n had 

 been in the district, and the various difficulties inci- 

 dental to the pioneer, as it were, of a new colony, which 

 in these parts he certainly was, his progress was most 

 creditable. His doings were regarded by the English 

 local authorities with curiosity and interest ; but the 

 native community were not slow to betray their sus- 

 picion of a non-official individual, who wished to settle 

 among them, with an apparently specious motive cer- 

 tainly, but which, with the innate roguery natural to 

 a race of fanatical heathens, they believed must conceal 

 some object injurious to their interests. It is, therefore, 

 not astonishing that at first they were hostile to him. 

 With but a limited knowledge of their language, his 

 was an up-hill struggle ; . but by perseverance, patience, 

 and kindness, their scruples were overcome, and he at 

 last procured a lease of land. This was the small end 

 of the wedge ; and, on the inhabitants finding that 

 money began to flow from the stranger, that numbers 

 of unemployed labourers could easily get work and were 

 fairly dealt with being regularly paid, and not left to 

 be ground down by native contractors the popular 



