1849.] Kohistan of the Jullundhur. 369 



is about 1| mile, with a breadth varying from 150 yards to 600 yards. 

 The highest end has been calculated to be about 4700 feet above the 

 sea. The soil is alluvial, having a covering of six inches of vegetable 

 mould. It was pronounced favorable for the cultivation of the tea 

 plant by Dr. Jameson, and has been selected by him for that purpose. 

 Although the fall in its slope is great, it nevertheless can be irrigated 

 with the greatest facility by means of two Kulus* of water which 

 have been conducted from the snows by the Puharees.f The greater 

 part is at present uncultivated. At the head or highest part are a few 

 blacksmiths' huts. They obtain the iron which they use from the 

 ferruginous sandstone found in the neighbourhood. Further up is 

 another cluster of huts with an orchard or two, and in one of them, 

 amongst other fruit trees, such as the Apricot and Cherry, &c. I met 

 with two or three plantains apparently thriving, although exposed to the 

 cold nights of January at an elevation of 5,400 feet. That plan- 

 tains can survive the effects of frosts and snow I have lately had indis- 

 putable proofs. On the 2nd February 1847, snow descended and con- 

 tinued falling for one hour and twenty minutes, which ultimately 

 covered the valley and the surrounding hills to the depth of an inch. 

 My Farenheit's Thermometer fell to two degrees below the freezing 

 point during the night, and did not commence re-ascending until one 

 hour after sunrise on the following morning. Several times both before 

 and after this trying night we experienced very severe frosts. Now in 

 and about the valley, are the mangoe, bamboo, a species of palm, pee- 

 pul, banian and the plantain, every one of which survived the severity of 

 the weather. Moreover adjoining the plain of Dhurmsala and near the 

 road leading to it is a slightly elevated ridge, along the crest of which 

 may be seen several old peepul trees and clumps of bamboos. On that 

 ridge snow usually falls about once a year to the depth of four inches 

 or more, so that those ancient trees must have withstood the rigors of 

 many a stormy winter. Again, on the 2nd of February of this year 

 (1848) a heavier fall occurred, and the snow remained on the ground 

 much longer than in the preceding one. I happened to be at that time 

 at Shajanpoor Tira, where near the summit of an exposed hill is a 

 garden J adjoining the palace of the great Samsar Chund, and contain- 



* " Kool," a Conduit. f Puharees, Mountaineers. 



% An approximation, which may be 100 feet more or less than the truth, gives it 

 an elevation of 3000 feet. 



3 b 2 



