1862.] Notes of a trip from Simla to the Sviti Valley. 525 



toe cultivation, of which long untasted vegetahle I made free to dig 

 up a few pounds. This must be near the highest limit at which 

 they will thrive, and they certainly could not compare with the pota- 

 toes of Kursiang (Darjiling) or Cherra, though it was too early to 

 obtain them of their full size. I do not know if the seed potatoes 

 are cut up in the hills or planted whole, as is invariably the case in 

 the plains, a plan which would account for the smallness of the 

 tubers, independently of other causes affecting the plant. 



7th, Nogri bungalow, 4,355 ft.* — Road descends sharply to a feeder 

 of the Sutlej, on the banks of which the bungalow is situated in a 

 narrow picturesque valley, but not, I should be afraid, above the 

 region of malaria. On the way down witnessed the rude way in ■ 

 which sheep are sometimes shorn here. The unfortunate animal I 

 saw, when being operated on, was firmly secured on his side by a rope 

 round his horns, the other end of which was secured to a peg driven 

 into the ground, his hind legs were in like manner pulled out taught, 

 and fastened to another peg, so as to prevent much flinching, whilst 

 his owner was leisurely carving off his wool in short strips by means 

 of a small cheese knife, or a knife of precisely that shape. Up the 

 valley chakor were numerous, but I saw no other game. 



8^, Bowli bungalow, 7.709 ft.*-— A steep ascent to the bungalow, 

 which is situated on the ridge opposite to that on which Dhurni 

 bungalow is built. This bungalow has an evil repute for fleas, but 

 seemed to have just been cleaned when I used it, and I was not con- 

 sequently troubled with bed-fellows. 



9th, Sungri bungalow, 8,356 ft.* — An extremely good and pretty 

 road, rising slightly to the bungalow. In the morning was awakened 

 by the noise made by the koklas pheasants in the brushwood close by ; 

 but so thick was the vegetation that I could not catch a glimpse of 

 a bird. Monal are also common about here, and I purchased a couple 

 of fine skins well prepared by a shikaree. 



10th, Baghi bungalow, 8,591 ft.* — Two short stages, amounting to 

 about sixteen miles, passing the Kandala bungalow half way ; road 

 excellent and country open and rather pretty. Noticed a swarm of 

 wild bees in a hole in a clay bank, or rather beside a large block of 

 stone embedded in the bank, but only a small chink for entrance. 

 Such a situation is I suspect unusual, and strange to say I have 

 noticed no wild bees' combs on the rocks adjoining the Sutlej, though 



