458 



BALA CHUGUR SERAI. 



After this the country traversed seemed to be well cultivated : 

 and even picturesque. 



The fort is nothing particular ; it is placed on the right bank of 

 the river, which is deep, narrow and raviny : descent to the river 

 abrupt. The bridge very richly ornamented, and of curious and simple 

 Bootan timber construction. 



Town small, and the people very civil : I lodged in Meer Alum's 

 own house. 



Iris crocifolia abundant, towards Chugur, a Mazus or Stemodia. 



Mimosa that of the Khyber, common, Polygoni in abundance on 

 the rocks, Dodonaea. 



The hills about Pushut are here only recognisable in two instances, 

 the central one presenting three peaks, next to it the barren cliff, and 

 the three mountains south-west of Dhurrah. 



Zrd. — Proceeded to Bala Chugur Serai, which is not more than six 

 miles up the river, occasionally passing along the stony bank under 

 hills, otherwise over cultivation, which is conducted in terraces. 



The scenery pretty, reminding me of low parts of Bootan, al- 

 though much more barren ; watercourses well made : two kafir ruins 

 passed; valley very narrow, but rather straight. Both chakor and 

 small partridges common. Vegetation is here the same as elsewhere. 

 Zaitoon trees, Mimosa, Euonymus, Dodonaea, Amygdalus in abun- 

 dance, Polygonum of yesterday. 



The stony slopes of hills, covered with Andropogoneous grasses. 



Rice, beans, wheat, oranges, toot, chanra. Narcissus in swarms, 

 brought in from the kafirs. 



Another bridge was here crossed, the same as at lower Chugur 

 Serai. No tributaries passed, the river fordable at rapids, but the 

 road is not passable for guns. 



Aquila, Enicurus, Alcedo bengalensis common, as well as jack 

 snipe. 



Red-billed crow, chakor, yellow wagtail, Fringilla, Muscicapa in 

 flocks, feeding in the fields, and from trees on insects. 



The blackbird of the Himalayas, wild pigeons. Narcissus in 

 abundance in sandy fields, Cryptandrioid, Clematis, Rubus, Euony- 

 mus, Pteris! 



We bad an interview with the kafirs or infidels about a mile below 

 Katoor, they seemed at first much alarmed, our retinue not being 

 small or unarmed, and their reliance on Mussulman faith not very 

 strong. They took up their post at the foot of a hill where a 



