JAUNSAR 229 
We foresters, philosophers of the jungle, to quote 
a phrase used by a departing Lieutenant-Governor 
to epitomize all his sylvan knowledge, were soon 
out of the reach of telegrams and coloured slips, on 
the road to Chakrdta, with the pleasant prospect of 
leaving it at an early date; for this is a path of 
unnecessary gradients and of unexpected heats, and 
on it there will be born no novel or inspiring 
thought, for it winds amongst the hills and valleys 
just a frequented and common highway. It is good 
to leave the lofty Chhor Peak, a landmark from 
Simla and the resort of meteorologists, and turn 
northwards towards still higher elevations, the 
little town of Taroch being the last considerable 
human habitation that will be met for some days. 
Here the Raja comes to call, and brings the in- 
evitable sheep that accompanies the camp in its 
future wanderings, and whose confiding familiarity _ 
prevents even a reference to mutton; and the 
return visit affords an opportunity to inspect an 
example of an old hill-fort, with its square citadel 
and picturesque high-pitched roof. To cross the 
ridge and descend to Chagpur requires an early 
start, else there may be trouble when the evening 
frosts convert the road into a slippery track where 
the mules flounder helplessly, and loads are scattered, 
in spite of the torches lit to show the way; there 
will be scant leisure even to admire the dancing 
shadows under the silent pines when every effort 
is necessary to reach shelter for the night. 
Some twenty marches may be made through the 
mountain forests of Jaunsdr-Bawdr, at almost any 
elevation that the traveller may prefer. He may 
