588 Notes upon a tour through the Rujmahal Hills. [No. 7. 



hundred feet in every direction, occupying upwards of one hundred 

 trees and saplings as their supports ; the main arms extended for 

 about five hundred feet in length and, at two and three hundred feet 

 from the root, were three feet in girth, the edges of the stem scolloped 

 and waved in a remarkable manner. 



The forests on the northern hills are very fine, and contain much 

 fine timber ; the principal trees are Cassia fistula and a tree much 

 resembling it, bearing the same long pod, but the tree yields a thick 

 white milk when bruised ; the Grislea or Dhow ; the Bijeesaul or 

 Dalbergia also called Sitsaul, Puhsar, and Sissoo, the name depending 

 upon the part of the timber mentioned, the color of the wood, and age 

 of the tree ; Dhow or Grislea ; Asun and Urjoon, both Terminalias, and 

 Sakua, which I take to be a Shorea. The Saul forests in the northern 

 hill are fast disappearing. The principal crops are Indian corn, Junera, 

 Rajrahur dal, several small pulse and the Bora bean. The summits of 

 all the northern hills are capped with laterite, which has abundant 

 nests of bright red and yellow lithomarge disseminated. 



In the jungles were traces of leopards and bears. 



3rd February, 1851. — Direction south, six miles to Banghi. Imme- 

 diately to the south of Gogi, descended by a very steep path over 

 laterite to a lower spur of hills running at right angles to the high 

 range fronting the Ganges ; just before descending this abrupt height, 

 a beautiful view of the great interior valley presented itself. As the road 

 had to be cut through the forest the whole way, only six miles in four 

 hours were accomplished. The forest on the southern slopes of the 

 northern hills is exceedingly dense, as indeed, are the forests on all 

 the northern hills. The forests traversed this march met completely 

 overhead, affording a delicious shade even at noon. The woods 

 resounded on all sides with the cries of jungle fowl and peacocks. Boa 

 constrictors, mouse deer, leopards and various kinds of deer, are found 

 in the secluded nooks of these hills. 



The forests at the foot of the hills, are composed of the same kind 

 of trees as noticed yesterday as growing on the summit, except that a 

 few Saul trees appear ; also a dense underwood of bamboo-grass, reeds, 

 grass and numerous shrubs, amongst which the wild Jasmin spreads 

 its branches laden with sweet smelling flowers. In the underwood, I 

 noticed numerous small birds who appeared clothed with down rather 



