1850.] Descriptive notice of the District of Jhilunt. 49 



Four miles N of Dehriala in Jalub is the village of Baghanwala, 

 midway between which and the Btinnah stream, on the sides of a 

 ravine, coal is found of good quality ; but the position being very inac- 

 cessible it is not probable that it could ever be worked, although the 

 coal is superior to that found at Khyura and other parts of the range. 

 About a mile from the village are the remains of a fort of some anti- 

 quity which in the time of Ranjit Singh belonged to Mallik Kadir 

 Baksh, who was expelled, and a Sikh Thanna stationed there. In the 

 fort is an old mosque in ruins, and adjoining a small tomb of red stone, 

 bearing an Arabic inscription and said to be that of a certain Hans 

 Ghazi. Close by is an old Hindu temple, resembling that at Kutas, 

 the architecture of which is very primitive. It is built of limestones 

 which contain numerous petrifactions of leaves. The caste of the head- 

 men of Baghanwala is Januyan, which is apparently the prevailing 

 caste among these hills. West of Baghanwala in the centre of the 

 hills, is the stronghold of Mukhyala, in former days a fort of consi- 

 derable strength which was razed by the Sikhs. The place being very 

 inapproachable, the hillmen defied for a time the power of the Khalsa. 

 The hills of Mukhyala, Kusak and Kuringili were held by three 

 relations, Sultan Sarfraz, Sultan Mehdi, and Sultan ?, who, 



descending from their mountain fastnesses, were in the habit of 

 plundering travellers and the peaceable inhabitants of the plain. The 

 present headman Sultan Nizabat Ali joined Sher Singh, and commit- 

 ted various excesses during the insurrection. South of Mukhyala is 

 the fort of Kusak, situated on the summit of a high peak standing 

 forth out of the mass of hills. Three sides are inaccessible and the 

 fourth which is sufficiently steep, is protected by a strong wall girding 

 the hill. At the extreme top is a small white temple which is visible 

 from a long distance. For many a month this fort held out against 

 Ranjit Singh, the garrison being supplied with water from a tank in the 

 place, while they laughed at the impotent efforts of the Sikhs. But 

 the water failing, their chief was compelled to surrender. Strange to 

 say, on the evening of the day upon which he came in, torrents of rain 

 fell, and again filled the tank, but being a man of honour, he kept to 

 his word and gave up the fort. 



To the N. W. of Kusak is Kuringili a hill of very great height 

 and remarkable appearance. It is chiefly noted for the antimony 



