164 WANDERINGS OF A 



Jhelum by a narrow footpath which leads down the Chacar 

 Hill in a N.E. direction to the river, then turns suddenly- 

 eastward along the left hank on to the valley of Cashmere. 

 On the march to Hutier (ahout seven mUes) we shot a few 

 chukore and black partridges ; the latter were heard calling 

 in every field, even in the immediate vicinity of the houses. 

 The black-throated bunting {Emieriza cioides) is common on 

 the banks of the river ; in habits it bears a great resemblance 

 to the yellow bunting, and also resembles it both in figure and 

 call. Allied to this species is the gray-capped bunting (K 

 stewarti, Bljrth) ; its throat is black likewise, but the male 

 has a gray head, a black streak through the eye, and a rufous 

 band across the chest. We had not time to examine the 

 geology of this interesting day's journey. The strata, how- 

 ever, seemed now to be composed entirely of mica-schist and 

 syenitic granite, with a few boulders of the latter strewed 

 along the bed of the river. 



The scenery was truly beautiful, and could scarcely be 

 seen to greater advantage. Every turn of the river disclosed 

 a fresh picture ; on the hill-sides overhead were green fields 

 of spring-wheat — ^the varied shades produced by the trees of 

 the jungle — among others, the apricot was seen in fuU blos- 

 som — ^the roaring river below ; while on the furthest moun- 

 tain-tops the snow still lingered. The valley of the Jhelum 

 here varies in breadth ; in some situations it is fuUy two miles, 

 but the greatest breadth of the stream is not much more than 

 a stone-throw. Landslips are common along its banks, and 

 not a few are of large extent ; masses of alluvium form pla- 

 teaus, from 100 to 250 feet above the level of the river ; 

 these are cultivated and turned into terrace-fields, which rise 

 like the seats of an amphitheatre. There is no difficulty in 

 irrigating the fields from the hiU-sides, which abound with 



