KOORI SHAH DITRRAH. 



501 



having the streets paved with brick like those of Wuzeerabad. Cac- 

 tus very common ; Kikkur (Mimosa) is the chief tree here about the 

 Fukeer's abodes. The Banyan also occurs. 



Peranum and Kochia of Jallalabad continue. There is a fort of 



o 



some size close to this town, built of mud ; the ditch is unfinished, 

 and not deep, it has a fausse-braie, with bastions like those at 

 Peshawur and Jumrood. The surface of the ground is much broken 

 close up to it, the earth being taken away for bricks. 



3rd. — Proceeded to Koori, an inconspicuous village, belonging to 

 M. Court ; it is surrounded by extensive plains, on which a tall 

 grass occurs to a great extent. Distance twenty-eight and a half 

 miles, the time taken for to-day's journey was six and a quarter 

 hours. 



The country is precisely similar to that previously noticed, the 

 only new feature being the grassy plains, in which at some little 

 distance from Koori, deer, partridge, hares, etc. are said to abound. 



A sissoo-like tree is not uncommon. 



4th. — To Shah Durrah, twenty-three and a half miles at Nunzul, 

 eight miles from Shah Durrah, a fort with ditch out of repair was 

 passed, at Koori ten miles from Shah Durrah, passed a deep Nullah 

 called Baghbuchah, with high banks, thence entered on a tract of 

 country covered with Saccharum, (Moong), from which ropes are 

 made ; (this is the same as the Chuch species,) we next entered on 

 cultivation close to Shah Durrah, which place is well wooded. 



Mangoe trees, Ams, Eugenia Jambolana, Jams, Bheirs, Phoenix, 

 Kikkur, and Ficus, are the principal trees. 



The grassy tracts of the Punjab represent probably the original 

 vegetation, existing now only here and there owing to the extension 

 of cultivation. 



From Shah Durrah Lahore is visible, particularly the buildings of 

 the Mogul emperor's, consisting of a conspicuous dome in ruins, and 

 some minarets, a large Serai likewise going to ruin, standing in the 

 immediate vicinity of the Royal Gardens. Lahore is decidedly a 

 handsome looking city viewed from Shah Durrah. 



So great is the tendency in palms to throw out roots towards the 

 base, that these roots exist in the common Khujoor, although they 

 have to get rid of the indurated bases of the petioles before they can 

 make their exit. They are so extremely short and indurate that it 

 is difficult to imagine the function they perform ; at first they are 

 capable probably of absorbing from the air. 



