10 DESCRIPTION OF COUNTRY. 



After several months' residence in Thibet, it is very refreshing, on descending from any 

 of the passes, to gaze once more on grass-covered hills and green trees. The difference of 

 climate is perceptible as soon as one crosses the watershed. On the other side the air is 

 clear and bright, while on the southern or Indian slope thick masses of cloud cling to the 

 hills during the whole of the rainy season, causing a most luxuriant vegetation to spring up, 

 even to the very limit of the snow line. 



The hills on the southern slopes of the Himalayas are steeper and more precipitous than 

 those in Thibet. The upper portions of the higher ones are, of course, covered with ice and 

 snow, the limit of perpetual snow being about 15,000 feet. Below this the hills possess various 

 characteristics, according to the elevation and the aspect of the slopes. 



Vegetation is arranged in regular zones, commencing with the almost arctic plants just 

 below the snow, and successively changing until a nearly tropical climate is reached at the 

 foot of the Himalayas. 



There is a considerable sameness in the character of the various hill provinces on this 

 side of the snows, the chief difference consisting in the degree to which they are exposed to 

 the influence of the summer rains. 



As we proceed eastwards from Kashmir, we find that the rainfall during the summer 

 months greatly increases ; and, as a natural consequence, vegetation is much more luxuriant 

 and of a different character. 



Highest of all trees grow the juniper and a species of cypress ; then the birch, the bush- 

 rhododendron, the deodar cedar, half a dozen species of pine, the yew, oaks of several sorts, 

 the tree-rhododendron, the horse-chesnut, and many other trees too numerous to mention, 

 succeed one another nearly in the order named, until at last the bamboo and the ' mdljan ' 

 creeper show that we have nearly reached the foot of the hills. 



It must not, however, be supposed, that the trees and other flora are restricted by as well 

 defined horizontal as vertical limits ; but a visit to the several hill sanitaria, the elevations 

 of which are all between 6,000 and 8,000 feet, will show a marked change in the character of 

 the forest from one end of the Himalayas to the other. 



At Murree the forest consists chiefly of pine and horse-chesnut : at Dalhousie 

 and Dharmsala of oak (ilex). At Simla the deodar is most plentiful ; while at Mussourie 

 and Naini Tal, we again find the evergreen oak, but much interspersed with the beautiful 

 tree-rhododendron, which is, however, more or less generally distributed. 



Going still farther east, we find, at Darjiling, a still more marked change ; the magnolia, 

 the tree-fern, climbing arums, screw-pines, and creepers of many sorts forming a denser 

 jungle than is ever met with in the western hills. 



A general description of Kashmir, together with brief sketches of other parts of the 

 hills and the country at their feet, may perhaps convey sufficient information to the sports- 

 man regarding the various hunting grounds. For accurate and detailed accounts of the 

 Himalayas, and especially of Kashmir, I must refer the reader to the many books that have 

 been written about them. 



Kashmir is a nearly level valley about one hundred miles long and thirty miles wide 



