46 Descriptive notice of the District of Jhilum. [Jan. 



towns in the Rothas district. The headmen here also are Gukkurs, 

 and relations of Raja Fazl Dud. The fourth mundi Bhet lies imme- 

 diately under Mt. Tillah and is comparatively insignificant. 



Jhilum the present head-quarter of the district, where two regiments 

 of infantry are now stationed, was not considered of much importance 

 during the time of the Sikhs. The present cantonment is about a 

 mile W. of the town, bordering on the village of Saierla to the W. ; to 

 its south, runs the river Jhilum at a little distance. A little N. "W. of 

 the town is a mound of some extent, supposed to have been the site 

 of one of Alexander's cities. Some coins of Menander, one of the later 

 kings have been discovered there, and it is said that some years ago 

 Golab Singh dug out a great number which he forwarded to Ranjit 

 Singh. Jhilum when planted and in the possession of good roads will 

 in all probability be a favourite station. The rapids of the river, about 

 4 miles to the east close to the village of Pakhowal, are very pic- 

 turesque. About 3 miles from Jhilum is Kula a town of 500 houses. 



On the road from Jhilum to Jelalpur, j\ miles from the former 

 place, is the town of Sungoi, the former residence of Raja Lai Singh's 

 family. The district was held in Jageer by Midh Singh Bhudania, who 

 first conquered it in the time of Ranjit Singh. A fine pukka fort 

 built by him stands near the town. Sungoi is on the whole, the 

 richest district in the Jhilum tehsil, the land being situated on the 

 bank of the river. Ten miles west of Sungoi is the celebrated hill of 

 Tillah. This very remarkable mountain is of some antiquity, being 

 known in old writing by the name of Bal Gundai. At present it is 

 the residence of the followers of Goraknath, but the mountain is com- 

 monly known as the Jogis' hill. The ascent is long and wearisome, 

 but the view from the summit very fine. At the top of the hill are 2 

 or 3 tanks, one of which contains superior water, but another built by 

 Chand Koanr, the mother of Naunehal Singh proved a failure. The 

 fakeers have large herds of cattle and possess also one or two villages 

 in Jageer : once a year a large festival is held at the top of the hill. 

 The sect bury their dead. The view from Tillah commands the Gar- 

 jak, Kiisak, Kuringili, and other hills. In the ravines of this moun- 

 tain is found a species of the wild sheep called by the natives ' Oorial ;' 

 and a species of osprey builds its nest in the higher peaks. Although 

 Tillah is the head-quarters of the Goraknath sect, there are several 



