1839.] Journal of a (rip through Kunawur, 917 



The space of the sangho is the breadth of the river, or eighty feet, 

 and its height from the water, which I measured with a plummet, was 

 fifty-seven feet. 



In former years before the invasion of Kunawur by the Goorkhas, 

 a good bridge existed here, but it was broken down by the inhabitants 

 of the districts, to cut off the communication across the river and 

 check the advance of the enemy. It was never afterwards rebuilt, 

 until the time of Capt. Kennedy, when the present sangho was thrown 

 across. 



According to accounts received from the natives, the present bridge 

 was built by them, and Captain Kennedy on the part of Govern- 

 ment furnished the means, to the amount of two thousand rupees. 

 Others say that it was built at the suggestion of Capt. P. Gerard, when 

 stationed as commercial agent at Kotgurh, with the view of facilita- 

 ting the communication with Chinese Tartary and the upper portions 

 of Kunawur, as the fleece of the Choomoortee sheep, called byangee 

 wool, was then in demand, and purchased for the British Government. 



The glen is at this point very narrow, and confined by the dark 

 rocks of gneiss rising up abruptly on either side, and affording merely 

 space sufficient for the bed of the river. Beneath the bridge the river 

 rushes like a sluice, and has such a deafening roar that the voice of a 

 person speaking on it is scarcely heard. From this, a short quarter of a 

 mile brought us to the Wungur river, which runs down from the 

 Kooloo side to join the Sutledge a little above the Wangtoo bridge ; 

 we crossed its stream by another sangho, and then addressed ourselves 

 to climb the hill, which rose above us to the height of 2000 feet. 



Up this ascent we toiled in a temperature of 98° over a road 

 strewed thickly with the sharp cutting fragments of gneiss and granite, 

 and wearied with the heat and fatigue of climbing in a midday sun. 

 We felt vexed and disheartened on arriving at the top, to find that our 

 labour had been all in vain, for on the opposite side of the hill the 

 road again dipped down to the very edge of the Sutledge, while 

 far away in the distance we could see a second long ascent to be tra- 

 velled up ere we could find shelter and refreshment at the village of 

 Churgong. The heat and length of this day's march were very painful, 

 as the road often lay along the very brink of the river, the glare from 

 whose waters was almost insufferable, which added to the fatigue of 

 walking, or rather scrambling over the rocks and stones that were 

 strewed along the banks, and the hoarse incessant roar of the foam- 

 ing stream, completely fagged us all, and it was late in the evening 

 ere my tent and baggage made their appearance, 



6 B 



