THE MAHADEO HILLS 71 



browns should be, and the rare appearance of a palm 

 or other eastern form, most of these low forest tracts 

 might be taken after December for a late autumn scene 

 in a temperate climate. Nothing is more striking than 

 the absence of brilliant flowers, which, contrary to popu- 

 lar idea, are far more characteristic of temperate than 

 of tropical regions. The Palas {Butea superha) is almost 

 the only tree in our forests which possesses really bright 

 colouring. 



When an elevation of about 2000 feet (above the 

 sea) had been attained, the character of the scenery 

 began to change. Vertical scarps of the red sandstone 

 which forms the higher plateau began to rise into view 

 at every turn of the path, which now plunged into narrow 

 and gloomy glens, following the boulder-strewn bed of 

 a small stream. The dried and yellow grasses and naked 

 tree stems of the lower slope gave place to a green vege- 

 tation thickly covering the soil, and in places almost 

 meeting overhead. The moist banks of the stream were 

 covered with ferns and mosses, and the clear sparkle 

 of the little brooks appeared singularly refreshing after 

 our long walk up-hill in the heat of a sultry and lowering 

 day. The baggage-pony found considerable difficulty 

 in scrambling over the boulders that now began to block 

 the road; and we reUeved him by putting about half of 

 his load on the two guides. After scrambling thus along 

 the sides and bottoms of ravines for some miles, steadily 

 rising at the same time, we suddenly emerged through a 

 narrow pass, and from under the spreading aisle of a 

 large banyan tree (from which this pass gets its name 

 of the Bur-ghat), on to an open glade, covered with 

 short green grass, and studded with magnificent trees, 

 which I found was the commencement of the plateau of 

 Puchmurree. 



Heavy masses of cloud had now gathered overhead, 

 and large drops of rain began to fall, betokening, as it 

 proved, the coming of one of the short but severe storms 

 to which these hills are liable at this season. The village 

 of Puchmurree was still some miles distant, and we hurried 

 along over the now almost level plateau to get shelter 



