152 On the Ballads and Legends of the Punjab. [No. 2. 



the chiefs of this unfortunate family, from the prisons of Maharaja 

 Groolab Singh, almost an equal number having perished there. 



(16). Swift through Margulla's strait he shot, Hurroh purl'd 

 bright and clear. 



Margulla or the broken neck is a trifling pass in the tail of the 

 limestone ridge of mountain, westward of Eawulpindi. It has been 

 paved with some care by one of the Emperors, whose favourite 

 wife was detained by the badness of the former road. 



Hurroh is a small river rising in the Dhoond country and joining 

 the Indus below Atuk. 



(17.) And rose Heaven's purpled sheen to blot thy splinter'd 

 ridge, Grundgurh. 



This is one of the most remarkable mountains in the world. It 

 is a rock of black clay slate capped with blue limestone, about thirty 

 miles in length, and rising to about 4,500 feet above the sea. 



It is generally inaccessible on the Eastern face. But three con- 

 siderable fissures run into the mountain by a gradual ascent until 

 they have climbed about half the entire altitude. The North East- 

 ern corner of the mountain is accessible. Being isolated by valleys 

 and not scarped with precipices on the Western face, Gkmdgurh 

 might at first view appear easy of conquest. But the fact has been 

 proved to be far otherwise. 



Its main strength is undoubtedly the valour of its inhabitants ; 

 but this is assisted by local peculiarities. The Northern portion of 

 the mountain is a table, upon which and in the ravines, dwell about 

 4,000 inhabitants of the Mushwani tribe, one of the bravest races 

 in the world. The remainder of the mountain is a long sharp 

 ridge, of which the spurs only which descend westward toward the 

 Indus are inhabited. The ridge itself is rugged and wholly destitute 

 of soil and of water. 



Thus the northern portion, called Srikot is a natural fortress 

 victualled and garrisoned, and its extent being inconsiderable, the 

 inhabitants can see almost from their dwellings the movements of 

 an enemy beneath, and can muster rapidly at any threatened point 

 to meet the danger. 



All the ascents to the mountain are extremely steep and rugged. 

 The mountain is filled with a thorny jungle mixed with scattered 



