of danger and alarm, which we were alternately obliged to possess and
relinquish, till; they were finally driven back, and pursue^ beyond
Buxadewar. It was-.restored at the close of the war, ,and now constitutes
theBootan frontier.
We were conducted by .the Zeenkaubs from; Chiyfiacotta. The first
part of the road was bad,-until we came upon a raised causeway,
having on either side, high grass, which abounded with tigers- and.wild
bufialoes. Continuing our course through this dreary. count^y;, foj;.m,ore
than eight miles, we entered a wood of large and fofty .trqes,-inwhich,
we were told, there were elephants, rhinoceroses, and be.ar§);whhgut
number, though we saw none of these animals.
The country was still flat, until we reached the foot of the Buxadewar
hill.. Here we found the ascent at fifs|^5& ,an«fe:^t^»% >
accessible to a palanquin half way up the hill, as' Bv as-Sgmtarabarry,
a place equally famed for its extensive-orange- groves^ arid; the excellence
of their fruit. Here the road became.mQfe.stee^-parrow, and
rugged, being perpetually intersected by large.masses p fC f^ « 0 :? # e-
The prospects, between abrupt and.fofty prominences, were^con-
ceivably grand: hilbi clothed to theuyyejjys summits,
and. deep glens, and the tops of the highest mountains, fptv ift # §
clouds, constituted altogether a scene of-extraordinaryj magnifioence^
and sublimity.- As the road winds round the hills, it sometimes- becomes
a narrow-ledge, hanging.?«^ depths-which
and were not the horror of the.scene,.in some degree softene^by ,the
trees, and climbing plants, which line the precipices, the .passenger
would find it impossible to advance. Proceeding, however, with
hesitation and, dijficultyfic^er, this- tremendous path, we arrived at a
small t luat,^ inhabitechiBy^ pops. But hospitable cripple, who refreshed
'usy as^elfesjh^jsplgh withf.tea^iand«,witffi« a^kincWf whisky ; a trdat
whlGf|w4aft.erwardsVfrequenitfe experienced«?. In the-mean time, a messenger
sent by- t^,S(|Qh&%a^i\{^^w;ith(drdersi lo^fcej offieen in ^harge
ofithe-passt tot-gi^e^a^iU-ance, tor ouk party^ I looked about for. this
important parsonage;- andfvfeSfisufpriseds to find;, him-' at» my,elbow,$ a'
creature that hardly bore. th^iseshmbfetocejofijhumamity ^fqJ|dis'gps^ng
^features, Baea^K^limbsf, ,and:-d&®inufeive-vstetureii-wit-hii1a d^ty/clothr
thrown osttr. his^sfipulderxi, He- mixed race, between the
Booteea and the Bengalee.;- anAi^wa*W®ndei;futtQ|nbi^i»;how greatly
the.-influence of a-pe^rifential climate; h’adifefej|^Jihi'm!i6-^,4lg^n®*afo
from both. At»the^foot oftth^;Boatjm, mq#itt»ns,j.ai'iplaipifiends,j|uf
»bout tfort-y miles in,,breadth, choked^ rathemtfaart- eloShecL with feba
most luxuriant vegetation*-*»The^ ex-halations ^ScgSsarilyj-afisimgffEGsmi
the multitude of springs,|Wh®|l&the vicinifry4Q:f the^apuPtai^si'prQduces^
are collected and'~.cofifin,edl' by, These« almost ifnpfei^i.Qupjw®,ods^, ands
generate am atmosphere,., through-, which» floHsaveller passed.withs
impunity. Itsieflfectss werejatak to;f3aptaimJ/ohf^’audiosa^ great; parti
;iq|;the troops that served under him, in, 1 .a«n rf Oofon
Cuming'^! one of the, few that- escaped wIt%|ifetj.'sfflJs',%e^4 % hajusious;
consequences. Ypfye^en this .spptiji^^hwithonk'inhahitanfs^althqughi
its.influence.hath whollydehaseeLm them^sth^form, tthg;size, .a-nd.ther
Strength-of human,creathres.
- The Soobahk,n$essenger<wS$‘Sooi^fol.Hwe<ifby>a» leATangqnsfchbrse,.
#hich came neighing-andpranemg.with sucfii, inipqtuosifcyjj that I ex-
* Colonel Sir John’Cuming is, sinceid*eitl5Jtp..