382 TERAI. Chap. XVII. 



On our route I had a good opportunity of examining 

 the line of junction between the alluvial plains that stretch 

 south to the Ganges, and the gravel deposit flanking the 

 hills. The rivers always cut broad channels with scarped 

 terraced sides, and their low banks are very fertile, from 

 the mud annually spread by the ever-shifting streams that 

 meander within their limits ; there are, however, few shrubs 

 and no trees. The houses, which are very few and scattered, 

 are built on the gravelly soil above, the lower level being 

 very malarious. 



Thirty miles south of the mountains, numerous isolated 

 flat-topped hills, formed of stratified gravel and sand with 

 large water-worn pebbles, rise from 80 to 200 feet above 

 the mean level, which is about 250 feet above the sea; 

 these, too, have always scarped sides, and the channels of 

 small streams completely encircle them. 



At this season few insects but grasshoppers are to be 

 seen, even mosquitos being rare. Birds, however, abound, 

 and we noticed the common sparrow, hoopoe, water- 

 wagtail, skylark, osprey, and several egrets. 



We arrived on the third day at the Mechi river, to the 

 west of which the Nepal Terai (or Morung) begins, whose belt 

 of Sal forest loomed on the horizon, so raised by refraction 

 as to be visible as a dark line, from the distance of many 

 miles. It is, however, very poor, all the large trees having 

 been removed. We rode for several miles into it, and 

 found the soil dry and hard, but supporting a prodi- 

 gious undergrowth of gigantic harsh grasses that reached 

 to our heads, though we were mounted on elephants. 

 Besides Sal there was abundance of Butea, Diospgros, 

 Terminalia, and Sywplocos, with the dwarf Phoenix palm, 

 and occasionally Cycas. Tigers, wild elephants, and the 

 rhinoceros, are said to be found here ; but we saw none. 



