1849.] Kohistan of the Jullundhur. 401 



so here. There are some .persons whose dispositions are so contented, 

 and whose wishes are so limited that they are happy in the performance 

 of the daily duties which their situations impose upon them ; satisfied 

 with the spot where their destiny has fixed them they never allow their 

 minds to be disturbed by sighing for a change, and are willing to remain 

 m one place for the whole period of their lives. What a different dis- 

 position is mine. Restless and uncomfortable when obliged to be sta- 

 tionary, I am forever longing to visit the least frequented recesses of the 

 earth, or to sail over the boundless ocean in search of some unknown 

 shore. Nothing is so gratifying or so refreshing to my feelings as mo- 

 tion, and whilst my love of wandering often urges me to travel over 

 untrodden paths, I have felt that my mind could never weary of explor- 

 ing the wonders and admiring the beauties of nature. Often have 

 I gazed on the solemn death-like majesty of the Himalayan range, the 

 outlines of whose summits covered with eternal snow are so beautifully 

 developed by the cloudless azure of an Indian sky, and as often whilst 

 thus silently gazing on those mysterious works of nature a thrilling awe 

 has involuntarily crept over me and filled my mind with delightful 

 melancholy. 



At this point the western face of the Sekunder range is very barren 

 and steep. This abruptness and sterility are caused by the strata dip- 

 ping to the east and out-cropping to the west. It is a general observa- 

 tion that the south-west and west aspects of mountain ranges are preci- 

 pitous and rugged, while their opposite faces slope less rapidly and 

 spread over a greater extent of country. These characters are peculiarly 

 striking throughout the various ramifications of the Himalaya, and no- 

 where more remarkable than in the Sekunder range. With the excep- 

 tion of a few stunted oaks and rhododendrons which we met with dur- 

 ing our descent of the first 500 feet, and here and there a peepul plant- 

 ed at the turns of the road, we saw no others until we got into the less 

 exposed dells, where mangoe and other forest trees were growing luxuri- 

 antly. When we arrived at the bottom of the Soane khud we halted at 

 Dhurrumpoor, a village completely hidden by trees. The Soane is a 

 small stream which empties itself into the Beas, and is nearly dry for the 

 greater part of the year. This last march is about 10 miles long but it 

 is very fatiguing. The ascent from Dhurrumpoor to the Janitri ghat 

 must be very trying, as the descent is tiresome enough. 



3 f 2 



