1848.] The Turaee and Outer Mountains of Kumaoon. 625 



ferruginous quartzose breccia ; towards the Somesur foot of the moun- 

 tain, Lieutenant R. Strachey came on large masses of black basalt. 

 The southern face is rather bare, but grassy, with a continuous decli- 

 vity, seamed by many rounded, and comparatively shallow furrows ; 

 the northern face, on the contrary is very steep, covered with Rhodo- 

 dendron, pine, banj oak, &c. Some of the latter also flourish in groups 

 towards the eastern summit, offering admirable specimens of this tree 

 in its perfection, with a magnificent spreading crown, almost reaching 

 the earth all round. The temple of Malka Devee, small and in ruins, 

 occupies this end; on the western extremity, 6,930 feet above Calcutta, 

 Hustee Dul erected a stockade of which traces remain ; but the posi- 

 tion was bad, without water and of easy access from the east, the whole 

 summit affording a nearly level and very pleasant walk, over swelling 

 lawns, possessing much of the character, though not quite the breadth 

 of an English Park ; with a view of Emodus such as no Park in the 

 world can pretend to. 



The shrine of Gunnanath nestles in a snug nook on the southern ex- 

 posure of the mountain, in one of the furrows before mentioned, nearly 

 600 feet below the summit. Here the rock forms an overhanging crag 

 of perhaps fifteen feet, from which a streamlet trickles down, and is 

 received in a reservoir shaded by laurel and Sillung trees. Under the 

 rock repose the images of Gunes, Devee, the Ling, &c, duly beflowered 

 and begheed by a rather strong establishment of brahmans and 

 gosaeens, who inhabit a substantial dhurmsala, included in the gully, 

 and commanding a pleasant view of the fertile vallies beneath, on which, 

 like so many eagles, they pounce at their prey. 



May \§th. — To Hawulbagh, called 8 coss, about 13 miles. De- 

 scended to the Sutrali valley opposite Unkholee or Umkesur, the usual 

 stage between Almorah and f?agesur ; and thence followed the Takoola 

 to Bukona (not half the distance,) where we breakfasted by a mound 

 sacred to Goorl Deo, and shaded by large Khuruk and Kukur trees. 

 The rock here is mica- slate, but higher up, towards Umkholee, all 

 gneiss. Below Bukola, the road becomes very rocky and seems not to 

 have been repaired for many years : though hilly and uneven, there are 

 none of the heavy ascents which exist on the direct route to Almorah. 

 Opposite Koron village the mountains assume a most picturesque and 

 diversified outline ; here the road quits the line of the Takoola, and 



