1846.] and Boorun Passes over the Himalaya. 133 



however, somewhat different from that of Kemaon and the snowy 

 range ; and it is a remarkable fact, that this last (I speak from specimens 

 of the vast precipices of Sookhee, near Gungootree) is identical in its 

 abundance of felspar and black schorl crystals, with the granite of the 

 Ajmeer hills; where, by the way, is an example never yet, I think, pub- 

 lished, fully as conclusive on the igneous origin of this rock as the more 

 celebrated Glentilt in Perthshire. The exact locality is three or four 

 miles west of Nusseerabad, on the way to Rajgurh, where the granite is 

 seen penetrating the stratified rocks in a complete and very extensive 

 network of veins, and in several places imbedding large masses of them, 

 in a manner that must satisfy the most sceptical, it was once in a state 

 of fusion. The Choor also, which like another Briareus, with a hun- 

 dred arms, domineers over the outer Himalaya, is the nearest point to 

 Simla, where we meet with the silver fir ; and separated as it is by com- 

 paratively low ridges from the great ranges which form the natural 

 habitat of the tree, the fact necessarily gives rise to speculations on its 

 origin, and as in the similar case of the Alpaca and Llama of the isolated 

 Cordilleras of the Andes, and its own Lagomys or tailless rat, induces 

 the question whether nature does not necessarily and independently 

 give birth V automate" to like forms of organization under similar cir- 

 cumstances. Every traveller in the colder tracts of the Himalaya must 

 remark the resemblance of the genera to those of Europe : while, with 

 very few exceptions, the species are different ; so much so, that as Mr. 

 Batten observes, though our oaks have acorns all right, the absence of 

 the sinuous leaf of the English tree is enough almost to excommuni- 

 cate our spinous brethren. The only exception to the above rule appears 

 to be in New Holland, as compared with a like soil and climate in South 

 Africa, where her productions, animal and vegetable, are so dissimilar 

 in plan from those of all the world besides. 



The homeward route from Muteeana to Simla may be agreeably 

 varied by a diversion to the Shallee mountain. From Muteeana to 

 Bhogra, 1,500 to 2,000 feet below its summit, is a walk of six or seven 

 hours by a path scarcely practicable for ponies. Back to Fagoo, via 

 Kiarree, is about the same distance, including a long and tiresome ascent 

 from the Nawul Khud : or one may return to Simla direct by Deotee in 

 the Kotar state. Bhogra is the most southern of the cluster of five 

 villages visible from Fagoo, on the east face of Shallee, the property of 



