Journal in the Sub-Himalaya. 557 



miles on the road on which we were to proceed. Thermometer at 4 

 p.m. 57°, at 7 p.m. 54°, at 9 p.m. 54°. 



27th. Pungee. Thermometer at 6 a.m. 52°. On account of the 

 rain we had determined on not marching till after breakfast; but 

 we were told that the part of the road where we heard the stones 

 falling last night was dangerous after rain, and that it was safe 

 to pass it early in the morning, before the sun had strength to melt 

 the snow, which loosens the soil, and occasions the stones to give 

 way. We determined to halt another day. This we did on account 

 of the porters, who, the day being already advanced, could not 



have passed the spot before noon. S and I walked down to the 



lower village, which we found a perfect pigstye, and we went to 

 a small vineyard. The plants are supported by a kind of trellice, 

 but were not yet even in leaf. We saw a decrepid old man nearly 

 blind, with a straggling white beard, who told us he was 1 20 years 

 old, which was a thumper, and while we were speaking to him, his 

 wife, a strapping old dame, came out and politely asked us to smoke 

 some tobacco. On our saying we did not smoke, she took a wooden 

 vessel, like a quart measure in England, and brought it to us full of 

 raisins as a present ; they were dirty looking things, and we gave them 

 to an attendant, putting a couple of Powlies into her mutchkin in 

 return for her kindness, with which she seemed highly satisfied. She 

 abused the Hills, which all do, calling them a Kaphir (Kafir) country, 

 producing nothing. She spoke a little Hindoostanee, learnt at Ram- 

 poor, denoting by horrible gestures and grimaces what she could 

 not otherwise express. 



28th. Rarung — 5 coss, height 9,022 feet. There are two or three 

 roads from this to Soongnum ; the shortest is over the Rooring pass 

 (14,000 feet high), but that is, at this season, impassable. We took 

 a lower road which is good, but round about. Being anxious to pass 

 the spot where the stones fall, before the heat of the day, we resolved 

 to breakfast at Rarung, and not half-way as usual, as the latter 

 plan would cause a delay. About half-way it began to rain, and the 

 shower continued sometimes heavy, for above an hour. This was 

 peculiarly annoying, as it was just the thing to cause the stones to 

 fall, which we had been so anxious to avoid. We however passed 

 the dangerous spot, which was about 200 yards broad, all safely. Huge 



