SURVEY OF THE GANGES. 477 



but, excepting to the latter place, the roads are very bad and difficult* 

 That to Jamautri is considered by much the worst. 



At this place we halted on the twenty-fourth and twenty-fifth, to pro- 

 cure a stock of provisions for our farther march ; as the inhospitable 

 regions, we were about to enter, afforded no prospect of any future sup- 

 ply. Although we had taken the precaution to send on two Giirc'hdli 

 Sipdhis, two days before, to give notice of our approach, we could not 

 on our arrival obtain provisions for that day, and parties sent out by the 

 Subaddr returned in the evening, with only enough for the consumption 

 of three days. The next day was still less successful ; so that, finding 

 we were not likely to get supplies without halting for several days, we 

 determined to march the next morning, and trust to the promise of the 

 Subaddr, that he would forward them to Rctal, a village near our road^ 

 and two daj^s march from hence. 



On the hills near this place are great numbers of black partridges, 

 [Perdix francolimis Lath.) zndi Chacors {Perdix Rufa Lath.) A ser- 

 vant of Captain Hearsay's shot one of the latter. 



Near the village is a curious Trisul or trident, the base or pedestal of 

 which is made of copper, in size and shape of a common earthen pot : 

 the shaft is of brass, about twelve feet long, the two lower divisions 

 decagonal, and the upper one spiral. The forks of the trident are about 

 six feet in length. From each of the lateral branches, is a chain, to 

 which bells were originally suspended. By what means it came hither, 

 or for what purpose it was constructed, no person could tell; and al- 

 though the inscription be legible, and most probably contains the infor- 

 mation, no one could even tell us in what language the characters 



X 5 



