FRUITS. 113 



It grows very near the snow, under which 

 it lies buried dimng the winter ; the finest I 

 tasted anywhere, was in the Asrung Valley, 

 on the Sutlej. Red currants are to be 

 found very high up the mountains, but 

 are indifferent. In the forests excellent 

 raspberries, strawberries, and black currants, 

 are met with in abundance. There are also 

 many wild fruits unknown in Europe, but 

 none suflficiently edible to deserve notice, 

 except from scientific botanists. Round the 

 villages the apricot orchards supply plenty 

 of fruit ; the greater part of the crop is dried 

 by the Puharries for winter use, and the dry 

 fruit is a pleasant addition to a sportsman's 

 fare. 



A few vegetables are raised around the 

 villages, and when off the beaten track of 

 visiters to the hills, we always found the 

 inhabitants willing to supply us with what 

 they had without seeking payment ; we 

 however always made them a present in 

 return. Cucumbers they have in abundance, 

 also what we used to call vegetable-marrows, 



