130 SOOROO PASS 



so followers, scaled the mountain, and so commanded the 

 fortress below. Then, a few musket shots being fired, the 

 valiant Bhooties fled manfully. 



Under the young trees on an island, gained by stepping 

 stones, I halted to breakfast. Pleased with the pictur- 

 esque aspect, the cool shade, and fresh moist air, I deter- 

 mined to rest till the sun's abated heat rendered trudging 

 less disagreeable. In the course of the day my attendants 

 passed on ; and in due time we also toiled up the zigzag 

 path to the old fort, and travelling over a very stony val- 

 ley, with a patch of cultivation here and there, reached 

 our quarters, a charming spot for these barbarous regions, 

 a considerable expanse of richly cultivated land, the crops 

 now forward and high. 



The [mountains here receding yield a large space for 

 cultivation, of which the inhabitants have availed them- 

 selves to the utmost, running their fields and terraces high 

 up the steep slopes, and by means of conduits, ingeniously 

 and laboriously constructed, contrive to compel reluctant 

 nature to bring forth abundant vegetation. The whole 

 landscape is dotted with fine willow trees of large growth, 

 and lines of them flourish thickly planted along the water- 

 courses. And, greatly adding to the beauty and charm 

 of these attractive hamlets, are found a profusion of wild 

 roses, single-blossomed like our red dog- rose, but of pow- 

 erful perfume. These delicious shrubs line many of the 

 channels for irrigation, reminding one of many a village 

 lane in a far distant land. 



The houses of these rude people rude only in their 

 condition, otherwise personally civil are rough solid 

 structures of stone, flat-roofed, with a mere hole for a 

 window which, like the door, is closed by a wattled shutter. 

 On the roof is stored the highly- valued, hard-to-be-got 

 supply of fuel, some few fagots, the clippings of the wil- 



