THE ROYAL ARTILLERY INSTITUTION, 
187 
almost choked the lemon and orange groves which were covered with fruit; 
the marks of the old hamlets ran for some distance around, and the water¬ 
courses appeared in fair order. I feel confident that all the water for the use of 
this village or town was led in channels from the river which we came to, a 
mile further on, called the Surrinbundee, a clear beautiful stream, on the 
banks of which we came in full view of the mountains rising almost at our 
very feet, the deep bold passes seemed all alike difficult. On a high ridge 
in the front range we saw a two storied-house, with some magnificent trees 
overshadowing it. This, then, was Bissen Singh, where one of our frontier 
posts was to be established. 
Every hill-side we saw was covered with forest, and a more difficult country 
to operate in cannot be imagined. The hills in the north-western frontier of 
India were as nothing to these, for they were accessible on many sides, were 
scantily covered with forest, had large plains intervening for our supports, 
commissariat supplies, and depots, where a few cavalry could awe a multitude 
of mountain men; here all was steep mountain sides and deep gorges, all 
alike covered with forest. A country where none but free men ought to 
live, for 
“ Be sure a great God never planned, 
For slumb’ring slaves a home so grand j” 
where every mountain pass was more or less inaccessible to an invader, and 
where there was no booty to tempt the avaricious to enter. 
Keeping close to the bank of the river, we pushed through low dried grass 
(which rose from a rocky and sandy soil), through open forest for three 
miles to where we were to be encamped, in a thick belt of briar jungles, full 
of trees, at the very foot of a densely-wooded hill, where, to make just sufficient 
clearing for our tents, employed all hands for three hours. The open stretches 
of dry short grass lying alongside our camping ground were covered with foot¬ 
marks of deer, while in the pleasant shade of the open forest parrots and other 
birds screamed angrily at this intrusion on their home. I took my rod with 
me when going to bathe in the river that afternoon, and in a few minutes 
caught seven fish of about \ lb. weight each. 
The following morning, the 9th January, an advance was made on Bissen 
Singh by 250 men of the 12th and 44th Native Infantry; the pass was 
one which could have been held against us by a few men, the forcing of it 
would most assuredly have cost us a heavy loss, more especially had breast¬ 
works or stockades been erected, but there were none of these defences, and 
the five miles of steep ascent were safely accomplished—the rise could not 
have been less than 1000 feet above the camping ground. 
Bissen Singh was found to consist of a large strongly-built stone building 
of two stories, built on the summit of the first range of mountains, com¬ 
manding the pass entirely; the road to Cherung, apparently a very good 
one, was seen winding round the hill sides towards the north. Two of the 
well-known shaped Bhuddist tombs stood near the house, as also a small 
range of sheds, evidently the dwelling places of the Jungpen's retainers. 
Erom one of these came a dirty, weak-eyed, old monk (of “ Orders Grey ”), 
rosary in hand; he had a crick in his back, and the most unpleasant effluvia. 
As he did not know Bengalee, Assamese, or Hindostanee, and no one 
attached to the force knew Bhootea, the amount of information gained from 
this individual was very limited* 
