460 



LIMITS OF OAKS AND FIRS. 



On the whole these people present nothing peculiar as compared 

 with other hill people : like them they are vindictive, savage, poor, 

 dirty, remarkable for great cupidity, fond of red cloth, beads, etc. 

 They are a mixed race, some are like Indians, some like Europeans, 

 but in all the forehead is low, Tartar eyes, often light brown or 

 grey, hair often light. Put them among the Nagas, etc. of the Assam 

 frontier, and none would notice them. 



The Chief's son wore a black, narrow band round his head, orna- 

 mented behind with a few cowries and bone ornaments. 



They are independent, appear to delight in talking of their vic- 

 tories over the Mussulmans, but the oddest peculiarity as compared 

 with Asiatics, is their shaking hands, which was certainly done with 

 us in the European custom. 



The limits of the firs, are as strict as those of Baloot, etc., of the 

 latter it may be stated as between 3,500 to 5,600 feet, of the firs 

 between 5,500 and 8,000 ; what makes me say this is, that at Katoor 

 the mountains are covered with heavy snow, and are naked above, 

 but with heavy pine forest below, and then with forests of Baloot. 



5th. — Ascended the hills to about 200 feet above the limits of in- 

 ferior snow, which may be estimated at about 4,500 feet. 



These hills from 3,500 feet and upwards, are well wooded, present- 

 ing no peculiarity in the distribution of the woods, which are thin, 

 or thickish only in sheltered parts, down ravines, etc. but present- 

 ing a great peculiarity in the small variety of forms, for there are not 

 more than three kinds of trees, and not more than a dozen shrubs : 

 the trees are Baloot, which commence at the base, and ascend to 

 the pines, say a height of 4,000 feet ; Zaitoon, which commences at 

 the base, and scarcely extends beyond 5,000 feet, Xanthoxylon, 

 which has a wider range than Zaitoon, is comparatively rare. 



The inclination of these hills is steep, but the ascent is not more 

 extraordinarily difficult, they are covered with masses and blocks of 

 rock, which are plentifully clothed with lichens and mosses, but of 

 small variety of species. The more open parts are covered with 

 Andropogoneous grasses; the lemon-grass occurs below. 



The shrubs and trees are as follow ; with their Pushtoo names — 

 Zanthoxylon, Schnece khinfuch, 

 Quercus Baloot, Ichairraye. 

 Olea, Khoo-unn Zaitoon. 

 Amygdalus, Budam, Janglee Tulk. 

 Nanus, Naguhn. 



