thirteen, miles,* by a dough and rocky-road, the ascents and descents of
which, in general-,*jwere too sudden to adroit iofda regular slope;’ but
thefTangun horses are accustomed to stone steps/'and scramble with
wb)nderfidtlaöMt]wNMfejöinted rocks, and up the; steepest ptecfpifeitó
On these, as Well as the preceding ?&0UhtainS, the traveller frequently
findè ftratbtf conducted;:tdl the Iroad: side, ftom distant
hollow bamboos, with which he will seldom fail to allay his thirst;
but the Eooteea generally adopts the precaution of previously straining-
■ the water, for fear of meeting with .leeches, or with, any'other'of the
various kinds of insects that harbour among trees,-or'are generated by
the putrescent vegetable matter, which; covers the surface of the rock
beneath their shade: - Nor must I omit to. mention the iafefcand|niAre
delicious fountain, to which 'the wary Booteea-most commonly has
recourse. This is a hollow buffalo’s horn, adapted by.straps to be slung
across the shoulder, and of.considerable capacityrwhich the prudent.tra-
veller takes daily care to fill with a new and fiery spirit, such as is here
promiscuously extracted from any sort of grain, and called arra. I could
never partake with them, in their, ardent draughts; but when I became-
accustomed to travelling among these mountains, I leamt to replènish
my hom with chong, which, being slightly acid,'was a;grateful liquor.;
and when wearied with struggling against acclivities, and panting, for
breath, it not unffequently gave gladness to the parched palate of many
a.thirsty passenger, if
In the course of this day’s march, we passed by a wooden Bridge
across a large stream, which came tumbling down, cataract over cataract,
from the top of a lofty mountain, We stopped at the village
of §j|teenshilla to drink parJakej^fi^hfijfmitS/.which the ihhab^
tanfs-»fi|idfhfeoqght out',, an'd plhcSd onkhmcb'e^by -the;foad^ sfdb|r ready
for our r^pa^t.
. f^.Neartthe|bpjttq'niitib>|tithis ^l]|,^s|t^J^toM!l«ysdrips'fromi'-thei6ver-
hangktg,;roeki;'t and in-, 'a 'deep^recessf atHketfdotjpfcthe mountain, iascas1
cade, rqskfefgi from* a thick Wood#fd5^MiaMa>rgessteamvof'water», «aver
which was place^abb^dgqtfe^tki^qtilof trees', -whosfe? ends rbstted 'Oh
either side-of the^rock, #i t h * V h f ithhbe^I^w^^pjSs’ them!
We'sat down'here'awhile t6Sre®;|andi thq deep i'shade, (the.melody Of
thf'furds, and^th^tmurmuring1 of 'w'Hich1! impacted» at ithe
same tMe-Jl grateful Coolness to1 th'e*Brt,ki^^ii^diti^|vVitfikfieSh>J spirits
<jdad'* vigour. - All this^ndeed' was' net'eSsaf^td^era®le Us to|§Mrtb! u|f
f-heMuric hom mOuntlthj, where' thq- road -was'exfr^tnelydciil'soirie', and
the ascent very steep. We« attained the iiimmit {about npo{if*much
wearied with s jefornby^' ’ a -cbiisid-eta b Ie*-p’o rli oiVfijfl'VrIhNmve'f had1
been compelled to p»fo$m'^i¥IfQdT*. rTfcsbvfwhhtainlS) are covered with'
Vbry lairgd and-'talktffeS-,* dm’il^Toltfid1se^'WBiehyCdi^§sd,-rhe'f0fe'^fS:)df
Bengal, with little underwood.’- -'NMfildrSE^^pboplc wcic employed
in5 bringing water,' ‘fromJ me: springs^tjelowif^^-tH^^elofTne’ inhabi'l
tarits of Muricndm, * - Thef/vesS&fm adp hse.SifiTb'r ftp? pUfpdse[(#aSt a
hOilo^fblin'boov' as large as tioul|f b e g i l r o f e d %i t h both1
hands.1* This ‘was-1 hlfed, and carrife'd‘-fike? atxd®j? resting* against *tlid
shoulder: some took’ldii'e 'on'eadK; and lab'oViotikfasfitdeemed1 to-Be,J
I- cquld nbt but1 observe that gifkvtihd women were chiefly employed
itf this1 SerVicei”^*
I was obliged to halt on Sat-uYday the1 •£#(;h of May, from the want