Page:The Indian Antiquary Vol 2.djvu/280

 250 THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY. [Septembeh, 1873. west side of the plateau of the hill, in a natural basin surrounded on all sides by lofty peaks. It partly overlooks the lake called the Nakhi- t a 1 a o, which by the natives is said to he un¬ fathomable. It is clear, however, that it is form¬ ed by the closing up of a gorge on the west side, where the overflow runs off, and a band has lately been built to increase the depth of water, fears having been entertained that it might run dry or nearly so, should an excep¬ tionally dry or hot season occur. There are several small islands with trees on them scat¬ tered about the middle of the taldo, but they are almost submerged, and the trees are fast decaying. A path has been made all round the lake, the straight lines of which sadly mar the picturesqueness of the spot. The best view of the lake and station, embrac¬ ing also a glimpse of the plain, is obtained from Bailey’s Walk, so called from the officer (the present Magistrate) who made it: it extends from the station to “ Sunset Point” (the fa¬ vourite evening rendezvous of the residents and visitors), and crosses over one of the higher peaks of the mountain overhanging the lake. The scenery from these heights and from the sides of the hill is of wonderful beauty and great extent. Early morning and evening are the most favour¬ able times to enjoy it, as in the heat of the day the distant mountain ranges are often lost sight of in the haze. One misses here, however, the lovely tropical foliage seen to such advantage at many of the other hill stations, the trees on Abu being small and sparsely scattered about. Date palms and corinda bushes are to bo met with everywhere, as well as several kinds of fig, and a few large banyan trees. But though the trees aro small, their variety is great, and there is an ample field for the botanist on Abu and its surroundings. Owing to tho rocky nature of the surface, there is very little alluvial deposit, and consequently scarcely any cultivation. Still every available patch of ground is made tho most of, and wells sunk adjoining them for pur¬ poses of irrigation. The plots of land (they cannot be called fields) are watered by the Per¬ sian water-wheel, and one may often see and hear six or eight wheels in full work within a quarter of a mile’s radius. Besides the Nakhi- t a 1 a o, there is a large tank at the village of famous for the famine and drought. They died then in U r i y a, to the north-east of the station, where also the only really large cultivated space of ground is met with; but beyond one or two Bmall jhUsf which run dry in the hot weather, and a few small streams, there is no other water to speak of on the hill; and in hot seasons fears are entertained as to the lasting powers of the wells—indeed those in the station do run dry now and then. The villages on the summit strike a new-comer : the houses are built in the shape of wigwams, low, round, with pointed roofs, and are quite different from any seen in the plains below. The people are a wild-looking race, with long grizzly hair and beards, and scanti¬ ly clothed; they always carry a bamboo bow and arrows; many of them wear a peculiar charm round their necks, representing Vishnu riding a horse, generally embossed in silver and gilt. On inquiry I found that when a man loses his father he puts on one of these .amulets, but for what purpose they could not tell me. The winter months in Abu are charming, the air is fresh and bracing, and the ground frequently white with hoar-frost. The sun, however, is hot in the day. Fires are necessary after sunset from December to the end of February, In the hot season punkas are seldom required, and at night the breeze is always pleasant. In the rains a good deal of fog hangs about the hill; but the fall is not so heavy as in the other sanitariums. To the sportsman Abu offers many attractions. Seldom a day passes but news is brought into the station of a kill by a tiger or panther, but the game, though plentiful, is difficult to get at, owing to the facilities of escape afforded by the numerous rocks and caves all over the hill. Sambur abound* and do great damage to the crops of the villagers, who can ill afford to have their tiny khets cleared by deer; this, however, often happens, and many are the entreaties of the spoiled husbandman that the sdheb will come and kill the enemy. Bears abound at the foot of the hill, and are often killed by the native shikar is, who sit up for them at night over water. There are also said to be a few lions in the vicinity. At the base of the hill there is pro¬ bably as muoh small game of every description to be met with as in any part of India—pea¬ fowl, hares, partridges, quail, small deer, &c. The peafowl is very sacred, as well as the great numbers, and, though yearly increasing, are nothing like so plentiful as they wore before that date.
 * The hill was overrun with Sambur until the year 18G8,