JOURNEY TO SIRINAGUR. 329 



ter, which supplies the wants of the inhabitants. It 

 issues from the iriouth of a bull, rudely hewn out of 

 the rock, and fall into a reservoir below. Tlie stream 

 is not larger than a nmsquet barrel, but the supply is 

 always constant and clean. The wheat, in some 

 parts, is now ripe, and the women employed in reap- 

 ing it. 



The mountains, for some miles round Nafaanee, 

 have a naked appearance. No trees to be seen, but 

 iipon distant liills; some bushes grow along the 

 ridges, formed for banking up the earth; and the 

 .standing corn is almost the only vegetation besides, 

 to be seen. Tlie soil is scanty, and very stony; and 

 the crops thin, except those near the village, whicli 

 are improved by the little manure the inhabitant:; 

 give the land; they seem too indolent, hovv-ever, to 

 extend this improvement bej'ond one or two ridges: 

 indeed, as the carriage must be upon their ovrn backs, 

 the labour would be great. Their only cattle are 

 bullocks, but those, as far as I could observe, arc not 

 iised for the carriage of burthens. Tliey draw the 

 plough, trample out the corn: and the milk of the 

 cows forms a principal part of the people's sustenance. 

 Ever since I ascended the ghauts, I observed the 

 same features mark the breed of oxen in those hills; 

 they are low, not exceeding the height of the small 

 Bengal cows; their bodies short and thick, legs very 

 short; but slight appearance of that fleshy protube- 

 rance, common to the male of these animals* in Huir 

 dustaw, their horns are short, tapering, wide at their 

 base, and gradually approximating towards their 

 points, with a slight curve inwards: their heads 

 short, and thick: the prevailing colour is from red 

 to dark broyrn ; with black noses, and black tips to 

 their tails. 



Curiosity led me into the village, but v\^hat chiefly 

 excited my attention, was the appearance of unclean- 

 liness, indolence, and poverty; the only proof oi" their 

 attention to some kind of comfort, is in the struc- 

 ture 



