country generally fertile though sandy, by Indree, Rodore, and Seidoura, to the pass of Moginund, twelve coss beyond the last mentioned town. The plain extends without the slightest undulation to the very foot of the hills, which rise from it, sudden and rugged as rocks from the sea, the boundary being quite as sharply marked. The pass by which he entered them, is a water-course dividing the low ridge next the plain, (which, rising from 500 to 700 feet in height, runs all the way from Hurdwar to this point,) from the more lofty and rugged range behind, on which Nahn is situated. The low hills are of sand-stone, mixed with indurated clay and beds of gravel. The ridge is from three to six miles in breadth. The next range, rising to a height of from 1500 to 5000 feet, with sharp, narrow crests, consists of a very friable greyish brown clay, containing siliceous matter. Just beyond this range rises a mountain of limestone, about 7000 feet in height; and divided from this by a considerable stream, is a mass of mountains, presenting varieties of schist, with much mica and veins with quartz. As the snowy mountains were approached, rocks of white quartz were observed, and of a hard, semi-transparent stone of many colours, red, yellow, and greenish.*

Nahn is a small town, built, like Almorah, on the crest of a hill nearly 2000 feet above the level of the plains. The ridge is so uneven, that the whole forms a collection of petty ascents and descents. The principal street consists of many small flights of steps cut in the rock. The buildings are of stone, cemented generally with lime, with flat roofs, and are remarkably small. The rajah's palace has a neat but not very remarkable appearance, nor do the temples

*See, for further geological remarks, Fraser, pp. 312-322.

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exhibit any splendour. The place has been, ever since the Ghoorka conquest, in a state of decay. The hill on which Nahn is built, forms part of the northwestern boundary of the Kearda valley. The face of the surrounding country is peculiarly rugged, the hills, all the way to the Girree river, rising into sharp, narrow ridges and high peaks. The rock is covered with a thin crust of soil, which appears to be formed by the decomposition of the stone. Much cultivation, wherever the ground admits of being worked, speckles the wooded declivities. This is effected by cutting the slope into a succession of terraces. A large proportion of the mountain sides is thus seen carved into stripes, which has a very singular appearance. lages, either inhabited or in ruins, abound all over them. Could it be supposed that all these had been occupied at the same time, it would give a strong impression of former populousness and present desolation; but Mr. Fraser says, that, 66 as one place became exhausted," or as various accidents might determine, the people would quit one village, leaving it to fall into decay, for another situation. The houses are all flat-roofed, rudely constructed of stone and wood, the side of the hill sometimes serving for one of the walls. The doors are so small that a man must creep through them. But, with all this rudeness, the Author was surprised at the neatness he found within. "The floor is smooth, well swept, and clean, and the fire-place in the middle is well contrived, although the smoke must annoy those who are not accustomed to its effects. The cows, their chief wealth, have always a respectable share of the house, comfortable and dry; but they do not give them a much larger opening through which to make their entrance, than they allow themselves; and I have sometimes admired

the animals insinuating themselves through so narrow an aperture. These villages are often very pleasantly situated, and almost always adorned with a few lemon or walnut-trees, or, where they will grow, mangotrees, that throw a grateful shade over the houses; and terraces of stone, built at their roots, yield a comfortable seat under their branches."* In the forests are found sál, sisoo, and toon-trees, with a few of a peculiar species of oak,

The natives of these hills are described by Mr. Fraser as universally diminutive in size, but of a make remarkably stout, compact, and muscular. Their colour, like that of their neighbours in the plains, varies from dark-brown or black to a tawny yellow; and in a few instances, it approaches to white. Their hair and beard are black. The crown is often shaven bare, but the hair is worn long at the sides. The general cast of countenance is Hindoo, but without the softness and intelligence of the Hindoo physiognomy. They have eyes sunk deep into the head; nose prominent and sharp; forehead high and round; high cheek-bones; long chin; and the whole visage long and spare, and much drawn into wrinkles at the corners of the eyes and brows from exposure to the sun. The usual covering for the head is " a dirty scull-cap of cotton, beneath which their wild locks and hard features look forth in savage guise;" but the chiefs affect the Seik turban. A cotton jacket ending in skirts and reaching to the knee, something like the Scotch philibeg; cotton trowsers; and a piece

Fraser, pp. 60-64.

†Their language also, Mr. Fraser says, as well as their religion, is similar to that of their neighbours in the plains; but he imagines, what is not very probable, that it may be of comparatively recent adoption. He represents them as "mean in aspect, cringing in address, degraded in intellect, and brutally ignorant."-P.67.

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of cotton cloth thrown round the shoulder in the manner of the Scotch plaid; compose the rest of their dress. The poorer sort are, however, obliged to con❤ tent themselves with thick, coarse, woollen drawers and a blanket, which, when it rains, they bring over the head. The women are, in general, of more pleas ing appearance, possessing, in youth, much of the Hindoo softness, with features far more delicate and regular than those of the men, and lighter complexion; but labour and exposure to the sun and storm, soon destroy both complexion and features, leaving only a wrinkled, sallow visage. Their dress is the same as that of the women of the plains. Chastity is " tue little known here, and less valued ;" and a custom of a most revolting nature is said to prevail, that of polyandry. The common and established Hindoo deities are acknowledged, and there are temples erected to them; but the local deities, good and evil, with which the superstition of these Puharrees has peopled every hill, and grove, and dell, engage the chief portion of their fervent and fearful devotion. There is a partial observance of caste; but almost every one, as in Kumaoon, calls himself a Rajpoot, except a few, who honestly confess themselves to be coolies, or chumars (shoemakers), that is, of the lowest class.*

* Mr. Fraser witnessed, at one village, a very extraordinary practice." Several straw sheds are constructed on a bank, above which, a cold clear stream is led to water their fields. A small portion of this water is brought into the shed by a hollow stick or piece of bark, and falls from this spout into a small drain. The women bring their children to these huts in the heat of the day, and having lulled them to sleep, and wrapped their bodies and feet warm in a blanket, they place them on a small bench in such a way that the water shall fall upon the crown of the head, just keeping the whole top wet with its stream. We saw two under this operation; and several others came in while we remained, to place their

The Kearda Doon, a rich and level tract running from the Jumna westward nearly to the foot of the hill of Nahn, is the only valley in Sirmore capable of being fully cultivated. There are some other spots, however, of great beauty, which Mr. Fraser had an opportunity of seeing in accompanying his brother, the political agent to the British army, to the districts on the Sutlej. On leaving the camp before Nahn, the route they pursued, passed over some steep ridges to the valley of the Jelall river. From this, they ascended, by a very steep and romantic gorge or lateral valley, to the village of Chinalgurh, perched on a lofty rock overhanging the glen with its mountain stream. Still ascending, but slanting westward, the road led along the curiously cut ledges and masses of limestone rock, to Deener Keener, a considerable village at the summit of the narrow ridge* which divides the basin of the Jelall from that of the Girree. Looking down the latter valley towards the north, the majestic mountain called the Choor, bursts on the eye through a vista formed by the rocky cliffs on either side of the gorge, which almost close

children in a similar way. Males and females are equally used thus, and their sleep seemed sound and unruffled. The mode of lulling asleep too, was singular. Seizing the infant with both arms, with these, aided by the knee, they gave it a violent rotatory motion that seemed calculated to shake the child to pieces, rather than to produce the soft effect of slumber. It was, however, unerring in its effects. On inquiry, we were informed, that this singular process for lulling and bathing the children is universally used throughout the hills, under the notion that it is very salutary to keep the head cool, and that it increases hardihood and strength."-Fraser, pp. 105, 6.

* Mr. Fraser calls it the Sine range. It is entirely of limestone, and is very different in form from either the sharp ridges of the Jytok hills, or "the rounder loftiness" of those to the N. of the Girree.