502 JOURNEY ACROSS THE 



rocks are of limestone. Beautiful flowers and creeping plants, ferns and 

 mosses, invite attention at every step. 



Here a very steep ascent commences, and continues till a landing 

 place is reached, shaded with trees, whence branches off the road to the 

 village of Supar-Punji. This road descends into and crosses the valley. 

 Passed over three or four stone bridges of small size, and one of bambu— 

 the scenery secluded and beautiful. Ascended a very bad road, and a very 

 steep fall, at an angle of forty-five in some places. Succeeded in reach- 

 ing the village at half-past eleven a. m. The village is stockaded and 

 defended by a " cheval de frize" of sharp-pointed bambus. Obliged to pitch 

 my tent on a level space inside, under the shade of some beautiful trees, 

 commanding a superb view of the mountain glen, the overhanging 

 precipices, and the plain below. Under these trees are some two or three 

 hundred monuments, large and small, all formed of circular solid stone 

 slabs, supported by upright stones set an end, which enclose the space 

 below. They vary from two to six and eight feet in diameter, and are 

 disposed on the side of the hill all close together, producing a singular 

 effect. On these the villagers sit on occasions of state, each on his own 

 stool, large or small, according to his rank in the commonwealth. These 

 are, in fact, however, tombs. The dead bodies of the Castas are burned 

 on a spot set aside for the purpose, a little higher up the hill, and their 

 ashes are collected and put into earthen pots, which are deposited under 

 the stones. I saw several of these pots by looking through the inter- 

 stices of the stones. As it happened, a dead child was brought out of 

 the stockade by its mother and female relations, who made a dreadful 

 howling. They placed it in a sort of wooden cradle prepared in the 

 place of concremation, and after fire was placed under it, retired- to the 

 village. A Priest then mumbled some prayers, while the dogs and pigs 

 fought for the plantains, oranges, and green betelnut, which had 

 been offered on the occasion, and would doubtless have fought for 



