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



September 9th. — To Chergaon, an easy stage of ten miles up the right 

 bank of the Pabur, which we walked in three and a half hours. The cur- 

 rent of the river becomes more and more furious as we approach its source 

 in the Boorhun Ghatee j and in several places, dashes along with the 

 greatest noise and violence amongst the granitic and other boulders, 

 which lie in its bed. * 



"Vexed Scylla and the sea that parts 

 Calabria from the hoarse Trinacrian shore," 



are smooth water compared with it even in poetry; for it must be 

 acknowledged that in reality these classic rapids are wonderfully calm 

 and gentle. After a few miles, the road passes under a high range 

 of slaty mountains of a curious formation, presenting an appearance 

 more like a series of gigantic pine- apples or cheeses, than any thing else 

 I know of. This is owing to the inclination and interruption of the 

 strata, which on one side present steep faces of shattered rock, while 

 the reverse side of the hummocks, though steep, is covered with grass. 

 There are no trees on these mountains, exposed as they are to the 

 withering influence of the southern sun ; the Desmodium tomentosum 

 is, however, abundant, and the Capparis nepalensis creeps in patches 

 along the face of the sunny cliffs. About eight miles from Rooroo, we 

 passed the village of Mundlee, held in free gift by Brahmans, but also 

 inhabited by a colony of Moosulmans, whose ancestors emigrated here 

 from Jounpoor, three or four generations ago. They still possess the 

 true faith and a supply of fowls and eggs. This is properly the first 

 village of Chooara. The land is here almost wholly devoted to rice, 

 which will be ripe in October: till, koolthee, mash, &c. are still sown, 

 but not in any quantity ; and in spring, the poppy is rather largely cul- 

 tivated. Across the river on a spur from the mountains stands the 

 romantic fort of Butolee, near a large village called Musoola ; above 

 these rise the densely wooded flanks of the Changsheel range, facing the 

 north, and in full contrast to the mountains on the right bank, covered 

 with forests of pine (Pinus excelsa, Abies smithiana,) &c. Should the 

 traveller prefer it, he may, if bound from Simla to the Roopin Pass, 

 strike up from the glen of the Pabur at Raeengurh, and follow the 

 summit of the Changsheel range to Doodoo. This route is much cooler 

 and more interesting than that by Rooroo ; but there are no villages, and 

 two or three days supplies, a good map, pocket compass, and guides from 



