uncommonly smoky chimney. The elements did not smile upon the commencement of our journey, a dense fog enveloping us soon after we left Simla, and continuing to enshroud us the whole evening. Fargoo is about 12 miles from Simla and a mile beyond Mahasoo, the spot which, from its convenient properties of shade, space, good water, and beautiful scenery, was dedicated by the fashionables of Simla to picnic purposes. Indeed, no place could be better calculated for a fête champêtre. The tents on these occasions were usually pitched on the declivity of a hanging wood of pines, oaks, and hollies, thickly interwoven with an underwood of currant-trees, raspberries, straw berries, and jasmine; which, "with woodbines wreathing and roses breathing," formed a fragrant and almost impenetrable fence round three sides of the spot cleared for the camp; whilst a smooth gently-shelving lawn in front, and an unwooded vista terminating in an abrupt precipice, led the eye of the spectator, with scarcely an intervening object, to a grand prospect of the Snowy Range. The chief lion of Mahasoo is a wood of the most enormous pines, some of them measuring from 120 to 130 feet in height, 20 feet in circumference, and growing as straight as an arrow. The timber of these trees is said to be remarkably sound. Such a forest in England would soon put to shame the mast-trade of Archangel.

The situation of Fargoo is about 10,000 feet above the sea, and it is therefore much colder than Simla; the thermometer to-day being at 58°.

The next day our route took us off the beaten road of Khôtghur. The morning being rainy, we sent off our baggage early, and started ourselves about mid-day. The first 5 miles of our march led us down one continual descent to the bottom of a valley, where we crossed a little river called the Ghirree. Thence we skirted the stream-sometimes close to its banks, sometimes elevated many hundred feet above its bed-all the way to Parellee, where there is a stage-house. We passed on our left 2 hill-fortresses, one of which, Theog, appears, from its situation among the

clouds, perfectly impregnable. The weather became clear in the course of the morning, and we enjoyed magnificent scenery the whole of our journey. At this season the sides of the cultivated hills are much ornamented by a beautiful crimson grain, called bâttoo, which is now nearly ripe, and forms the chief article of food among the natives. In the valley we passed the castle of the Ranah of the province, a title equivalent to the Rajah of Hindostan. a strange, uncomfortable-looking building, but well situated near the river. The latter is here a shallow, rapid, and rocky stream of most translucent water. The few specimens we saw of the male inhabitants were handsome and stout made, and appeared of remarkably cheerful and contented dispositions, saluting us smilingly as we passed. The women, on the contrary, were dumpy," and, for the most part, grumpy. There was a good pattern of a hillhouse at Parellee, which I examined: it was built of stone and wood, with a wooden pent-roof; the lower story was entirely devoted to the accommodation of cattle, whilst the first, or habitable story, was made accessible by a rude ladder formed of a notched beam. I took a hasty sketch of it.

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We have descended some thousand feet in this day's march, the thermometer being 77°, nearly 20 degrees higher than at Fargoo. The scenery about our tents is tame in comparison with that of Simla. The afternoon being sultry and close, we descended to the river and enjoyed a delicious bath, an imprudent measure which two of the three had afterwards cause to repent-" hinc fons et origo malorum." The water was biting cold, and so rapid that it required all our strength to stand upright in the stream. I think it right, thus early in my mountain tour, to give my reader the probably welcome information that I am totally unskilled in botany and geology, by which fortunate default in my education he will escape the usual inflictions of scientific travellers-such as being delayed half an hour to dissect a daisy, or being planted the best part of a forenoon before a block of stone to decide whether it be gra

nite or marble, primitive or secondary rock, till the bored peruser becomes almost petrified himself.*

26th.-Left Parellee about 7 A. M., and marched to the town or village of Khote-kie, about 14 miles. The road ran the whole way just above the little brawling Ghirree, and the scenery reminded me much of that part of Wales near Llangollen. The hills are almost entirely devoid of trees and covered with a verdant clothing of grass and grain-crops. The chief produce appears to be the red corn and buckwheat on the hill-sides, and rice in the valleys low enough for irrigation. The houses are from two to three stories high, and are picturesque objects in the landscape. We crossed the river over a very romantic sangah, or bridge of pines, at least 100 feet above the bed: it afforded an interesting subject for a flying sketch. Ere we descended upon Khote-kie we traversed a wood of firs resembling the Weymouth pine; on emerging from which we came abruptly upon the village. There are two remarkable masses of buildings-the castle of the Ranee of the province and the residence of the Zemindar, both situated on lofty promontories of rock, just extensive enough to contain the houses and their offices. Round the foot of the precipice on which the former edifice is perched, the little river winds its course.

We took up our abode in the stage-bungalow, near which is the comfortable residence of a Subadar, or native commissioned officer, of Captain Kennedy's regiment of hillrangers, who was promoted to that rank by Lord Combermere for his bravery at Bhurtpore. The wooden eaves of his house are carved and ornamented much after the fashion

* Little did I foresee that this unlucky sentence would be construed into a serious attempt to exalt my own trifling lucubrations at the expense of science. Yet has an otherwise indulgent critic, in his review of my first edition, ascribed to me some such monstrous aim. Let me, therefore, hasten to plead "not guilty to so grave a charge; and to confess in sober sadness-since it is no joking matter!—that there was not a furlong of my Himalayan rambles unproductive of hearty lamentations at my want of power to fully appreciate those opportunities which would have been so invaluable to the scientific tourist.