8 TO SIRINUGGUR. 







Here I halted, breakfasted, and dined. Pursuing my hot 

 and dusty route at 4.30 P.M., I arrived at Bhimber about 

 twelve midnight, received good accounts of my belong- 

 ings from Abdoolah, was almost devoured by my two little 

 pets, found Suleiman had arrived, but no tidings of the 

 Cashmiri, Jamhal Khan. I turned into bed in my tent, 

 feeling a delightful sensation at being really out of the 

 scorching plains of the Punjab ; though I could hardly 

 be said to be so, for the following day, 



Thursday, 19th April, the heat was excessive, thermom- 

 eter in the day 96, and at 9 P.M. in my tent, 90. This 

 day was employed in arranging loads, and selecting such 

 articles as I needed on the road. Jamhal Khan joined, 

 and made salaam. Suleiman went into Bhimber, a large 

 straggling town, and endeavoured to create a desire for 

 the knowledge of the Gospel. He encountered opposition, 

 and found none willing to receive books. 



20th April. I made a good start before day had well 

 dawned. It was a miserable day's march, having a river 

 to be crossed about ten times, the bed of which, and 

 indeed the road itself, is composed of boulders and stones 

 innumerable. There is also a steep ascent to climb, which 

 is no easy job, the path up it being merely indented in 

 the naked rock by continual footsteps. I may as well 

 remark here, that this road is the whole way abominable, 

 nothing being ever done to improve it, although there is 

 a large amount of traffic along it with the Punjab ; and 

 the Maharajah, with his usual avarice, takes good care to 

 have heavy dues levied on all imports and exports bad 

 luck to him, for a horrid screw ! The track is nothing 

 more than a watercourse, and up and down the steep 

 hills is really dangerous. 



The path this day leads over the said hill, on which is 

 a station of the rajah's in a narrow pass, where are 



