Page:Views in India, chiefly among the Himalaya Mountains.djvu/142

78 predicament, for the velocity of the current is so great, and the river so full of rocks, that an expert swimmer would scarcely succeed in reaching the shore. When natives of rank cross the ferry, a seat is prepared by lashing two or more skins together, and then placing a charpoy, or common bedstead, across them.

 VALLEY OF THE DHOON, WITH THE GANGES IN THE DISTANCE, FROM THE LANDOUR RIDGE. Returning to Mussooree, we were again gratified with a view of the ever-beautiful valley of Deyrah stretching out before us, with the Ganges hastening towards the plains through its devious windings.

After our long sojourn under canvass, we found the houses at Mussooree, though neither so spacious nor so elegant as those at Simla, exceedingly convenient and agreeable. Upon cold evenings we particularly enjoyed a fire, the companion always so acceptable to an Englishman: it is true, we had managed to warm our tents, when fuel was plentiful, by means of wood embers, which were placed, while in a red heat, in large brass basins, and which diffused a genial glow throughout the apartment, but this contrivance lacked the blaze which the lover of the fire-side always delights to provoke. We found very excellent society at Mussooree, the station being greatly on the increase; and though our experience might have rendered us somewhat fastidious, we thought the scenery charming. Unsatiated by our forest wanderings, we followed with fresh zest the rugged and intricate footpaths which led to the different points, whence the view sometimes embraced romantic glens, and small amphitheatres of rocks; and at others ranged boundlessly over an illimitable space, the distance being softened into the tint of the atmosphere, and rendering it impossible to distinguish the heavens from the earth.

The close vicinity of the valleys of Kearda and Deyrah Dhoon to Mussooree, renders the station particularly agreeable to parties who are fond of going out in search of tigers the surrounding forests abound with bears, leopards, and wild elephants, but they live in comparative safety, since the coverts are so heavy, and so completely cut up by ravines, that they are inaccessible to the mounted sportsman. Lower down, however, where the tiger chiefly roams, elephants may be brought against the tawny monarch. A battue of this kind, when there are several elephants in the field, and a proportionate number of scouts and beaters, affords a wild and picturesque group, in strict keeping with the jungle scenery. The men upon the look-out usually climb the neighbouring trees, whence they can give advices concerning the whereabout of the savage, who, though often charging with great gallantry, even when first aroused, more frequently endeavours to make his way to some place of greater security. Having received intelligence that three tigers had taken possession of a particular spot, we beat down the banks of the ravine for several hours without finding any trace of them, and were beginning to fancy that we had been misinformed, when, coming to a patch of very tall jungle grass, we stumbled upon a bullock half eaten, and bearing marks of having been newly killed, and of affording so recent a repast, that we might hope to follow very closely on the track of the destroyer. Accordingly advancing, our leading elephant trumpeting and shewing signs of uneasiness, assured us that we were not far off. Several deer got up about three hundred yards ahead, evidently in great terror—another certain indication: so, forward we went, and, catching a distinct view of the gentleman as he crossed the ravine, one of the party fired a long shot, which had only the effect of accelerating his 