86 Diary of an Excursion to the Shatool [No. 170. 



section of the Shikree exhibits strata of a micaceous sandstone, but 

 Rooroo, Chergaon, and several other villages on the Pabur, stand on 

 elevated plateau of gravel and boulders, from 100 to 150 feet above 

 the present level of the river. These are chiefly devoted to rice culti- 

 vation, for which this valley, here and upwards, known as Chooara, is 

 celebrated ; the fields are abundantly, and to the traveller often incon- 

 veniently, irrigated by rills skilfully led along artificial cuts from the 

 Pabur, originating at a sufficient distance above to admit of the highest 

 levels being watered. 



Rooroo Kothee is 5,200 feet above the sea, and is rather a hot place. 

 The barley ripens in the latter half of May, the wheat in the first half of 

 June ; the heat is then excessive. It is not a very large village, and 

 has a kind of square in the centre, which, were it a little cleaner, would 

 remind one of a substantial farm-yard in England. The Muhunt or 

 Chief Gooroo of Busehur resides here, and has large endowments in 

 land. Owing to the neglect of the smooth-tongued Mookheea of Deorah, 

 who promised everything and performed nothing, our baggage did not 

 arrive till sunset, so that our breakfast and dinner merged into one, at 

 \ past 7 p. m., thirteen hours after leaving Deorah ; a place which econo- 

 mizes cash better than temper. During the day, a general assembly of 

 the mountaineers took place under the Gooroo's auspices, for the purpose 

 of dancing round the gods. These, however well-gilt, appear to be 

 aired and ventilated but once a year, and were deposited in litters 

 beneath the try sting tree in the village square, round which the people 

 formed themselves, men and women apart, into seven squares, single 

 rank of eight or ten each, holding each other's hands, extended behind 

 their backs : then by a curious and by no means inelegant step, or set of 

 steps, in excellent time, they gradually completed the circuit, the move- 

 ment being combined with others to the front and rear, with repeated 

 bowings in concert to the deities ; this continued the best part of the 

 day to the music of pipe and drum, the performers being occasionally 

 relieved from the surrounding crowd, all seeming equally adepts. Con- 

 siderable practice must have preceded so creditable an execution of this 

 dance, and once or twice the gods even joined in the fun, which then 

 grew more fast and furious than ever ; and from the exceeding elasticity 

 of the ash- poles on which they were carried, " their worships" got such 

 a shaking as gods in the plains can never hope to enjoy. 



