2^20 Mr BallHe Fraser on the Himalaya Mountains^ 
and have been laid with considerable art, one step being formed 
by the small ends of long pieces, which are deeply buried in 
the hill side, and the next by similar long pieces, laid crosswise 
upon the first, so as to prevent the possibility of their moving. 
The fatigue of such a descent is very great, and was increased 
to the imagination, by the view of the endless diminishing flight 
of steps that stretched below us, for there is little variation or 
turning in the whole length of this extensive staircase. 
About 150 feet above the river, there is a certain quantity 
of table land, which was distributed irregularly along the banks 
of every winding of the stream. The soil here appeared to be 
good, and it is all well cultivated, chiefly with rice. The 
breadth of the stripe in no place exceeded 200 yards. Per- 
haps the productiveness of this table land may have formed one 
reason for the construction of the Ghaut we descended ; which, 
in point of length, steepness, and singularity of construction, is 
surpassed by nothing I have heard of, and is as well worth see- 
ing as any thing 1 have met with in India. ^ * 
The perpendicular height of Comharsein above the river 
cannot be so little as 3000 feet. There must be several thou- 
sand steps in the rude flight of stairs above described, and 
these, added to two miles (fl* steep and irregular descent at first, 
cannot well give a less positive elevation. Just at the top of 
the long flight of stairs, w^e found an orchard of apricot trees, 
the fruit of which was nearly ripe. ^ ^ On the banks of 
the river we found several huts of gold finders, who gain a live- 
lihood by washing the sands of the Sutlej for the gold they 
contain. This precious metal is found in considerable quanti- 
ties on its banks, and, it is said, comes from gold mines of some 
consequence in Bootan,” 
Account of the J-hodla^ a singular Bridge over the Siiilej at 
Rampore, 
A communication is kept up across the Sutlej by means of 
that singular and dangerous kind of bridge which in the hills is 
termed a Jdioola. At some convenient spot, where the ri- 
ver is rather narrow, and the rocks on either side overhang the 
stream, a stout beam of wood is fixed horizontally upon or be- 
hind two strong stakes, that are driven into the banks on each 
