1846.] and Boorun Passes over the Himalaya. 127 



very reverse, the path being very steep, bad, and rocky, over a most daz- 

 zling decomposing micaceous shale near the top, and with some awkward 

 steps near the bottom, where several streams are passed — the head waters 

 of the Chugountee, one of the main feeders of the Girree. Shyl is a 

 considerable village, or rather group of villages between two of these, 

 and possesses a good share of arable land. It belongs to Busehur, and 

 is about 8,000 feet above the sea. Passing the villages we descended 

 by a rough flight of stone steps to a stream, and then re. ascended the 

 opposite or Huttoo side, till about 100 feet above Shyl, where we 

 pitched our tents by a Bowlee amidst woods of young cedar. Supplies 

 are got with difficulty from Rutnaree, a village about one mile south, 

 which shares alternately with Shyl, the charge of hospitality, and which 

 would apparently transfer to it willingly the whole honor and merit of 

 entertaining strangers, perhaps from having hitherto been so unlucky 

 as to chance on few or no angels amongst them. 



September 30th. — To Nagkunda, eight or nine miles, over Huttoo 

 mountain, of which we reached the summit, 10,670 feet, (water boiling 

 at 190°) in 1 h. 50 m. by the Pugdundee route, which keeps to the left of 

 and below the made road, and, which from precipitous rocks, is impractica- 

 ble for ponies. The made road passes under a ruined fort called Kurena, 

 and then over the north shoulder of Huttoo, within 400 feet of the 

 summit, on which we passed some hours. Huttoo or Whartoo, may be 

 called the Righi of the Himalaya ; but it must be confessed, that we are 

 here totally deficient in three main constituents to the attractions of the 

 Alps : first, their exquisite lakes ; second, their equally exquisite hotels 

 and markets ; and third, their historical or legendary associations, such 

 as those of William Tell, and the confederates of Griitli. In Hindooism 

 the gods interpose so constantly, that man is nothing. But so far as 

 natural scenery is concerned, I do not know a more delightful walk than 

 that along the rounded swelling knolls of the Huttoo range, with its edg- 

 ing of V castled crags" of gneiss rock to the north-west., its alternate 

 coppices of Kurshoo oak, and meadows enamelled with flowers, and its 

 spacious views. Those of the snowy range are inferior to few, extending 

 from (probably) the Peer Punjal of Kashmeer by the Chumba, Koolloo, 

 and Shatool ranges, to and beyond Jumnootree, which rises over the high 

 slopes of the Changsheel like a double- poled tent. Choor, Koopur, Kun- 

 chooa, Moral, are all conspicuous features ; Huttoo itself being protract- 



