New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1853-06-29
BAYARD TAYLoR's LETTERS.
LXXXyU.
The Himslayss.

wSs,a5.y he Feb 4 isS
Write from the summit Of the second range Of tue
Himalsyas, 5000 feet above the sea. The cottage
vbtre am quartered is perched a nsrrow shelf,
seooped out of the side of the mountain and forms part
Of the scattering village Of Landowr, which Is one Of the
military ssnitarinIns established among the hills by tee
Government For the first time in several weeks it has
mot frozen during the night and the with which
o. roof laden are pouring in shower from the
The north side Of spur in front of the cottage looks
southvard0 Is still white and winry but down the gorge
on ny left-fsr down in its warm bed-l can see the
evergreen vegetation OF the Tropics.
ON Visiting Mr.. Keene the Deputy Magistrate Of
pehTa the morning after my arrival, was at iG
stalled az an inmate Of his house during my stay and In
yted TO accompany him TO MussOoree and Landovr, on
he following day The invitation chmed 30 thoroughly
With my own plans that accepted it, with has hospitality
Mr. Keene IL one Of the few persons 10 the E1s India
COMPANY Service who have devoted their leisure to
literary pursuits He is OF The main props Of SaHa
lsrs' Magazine, very creditsbe monthly periodical,
vablished at Delhi; and do not betray secret, when
state that be is also the author Of the poems signed H.
OK (which appearin BiaokwOod.
We rose early yesterday morning. and after a cup OF
tea set of in Mr. KS buggy for RaPOre at the foot Of
the mountains The town Of Dehra ia situated near the
center Of the Dhoon Valley, Of the name which
h tract about 20 miles in length by IL in breadth be-
tween the Swalik Hills and the Sub HImalayas, and
tending from the Gsnges to the JUmDa Protected alike
from the hot winds Of the plains and the cold blasts of
the hills il Of the most fertile regions in India and
far the most beautiful that have yet seen. From
Dehra the whole extent Of the magnificent valley u VS.
ible The curves Of the Hmaayan range fill up its
ysas on either hand with views OF the loftler SUBMITS
and thus II appears completely shut out from the world
Tie vegetation is much more luIurant than upon the
plains and ewing its sheltered position most kinds Of
tropical fruits thrive well, although lies between 30
and $40 N.
The morning was mild and cloudless, the road excel
lent and we ratified along merry between clumps OF
bamboo and groves Of mango trees occasionally looking
tla that gDaTkled Thousand feet above
ms The houses on the very summit Of the mountain
we're distinctly visible The vast sides and shoulders
Of the range we're scanty clothed with Jungle through
which showed the darkIed line Of the soil softened to
lurid purple by distance Toward the base the jungle
was dense and green except where the soil had been
cleared and formed into terraces for cultivation The
surface Of the valley presented charming Attenuation OF
rrainelds groups immense mango trees, and patches
Of woodland resembling in It's general aspect, the Mid
land Counties Of England Mr Keene pointed out
hill TO the eastward the Of bloody battle dur
ing the war with the OoOrkhas or hilltribes and the
SPOT where Gen Gillespie fell. The fortress, which
formerly crowned the hill has been entirely demolished
The iu1Qles 10 the valley abound with wild beasts Only
two weeks ago a lady who was taking afternoon ride
10 Raipore, saw two full grown leopards lying in field,
mot more than fifty yards from the read. The beasts
qazed at her very cOmplaceDty as wclbred leopards
might but attempted no familaritles.
In an hour we reached Rajpore, which sits upon the
lowest STEP the foundation stone of the mountain On
some fine wooded knobs 10 the west OF 1t there are
several handsome bungaOws the summer residences OF
invaded or iurlOughed officers. There is also little
hotel whittier we drove order to hire ponies for the
climb of seven miles TO LandOwr tall, heavy
featured weather beaten gentleman OF Oryive or hiy,
was standing in the verandab He had q red, Scotch
complexion gray eyes and yellow hair on the sides OF
his head the crown being bald. There something
indoIent and phlegmstlc in bis air and greatly
prised al Mr. Keenes pointing him out to me as Wilson,
the noted Ranger Of the Hmaayas, as he is general
ly called We entered into conversation with him At
4 baHo dayyn Lar
on his way 10 Dehra but would be back IN the hills in
few DAVIS He has lived almost exclusively among the
upper ranges of the Hmaayas for than ten years
and knows every pass, $50 he informed mel as far as
Cashmere His wandeTings have extended as far as
Lsdak or Leh in 1hibet-the capital Of State which
is at present tributary TO GOOlah Singh the Rash OF
Cashmere He says there is no difficulty in reaching
either Cashmere Ladak at present, aud If had two
months more but cannot see everything. Wilson
has much influence the pGhdrrees mountaneers,
and his services are in great request during the summer
when sporting tours made in the Upper Hlmallyas
In addition To the hex bear and mountain sheep there
are abundance of suberb golden pheasants and other
magnificent specimens Of the feathered race, the skins
of which he pTeserves and which, when Calcutta
for sale, produce him handsome return
hired pony for two rupees and we immediately set
out for Landowr. Mr.. Keene being the Deputy Magis-
trate of the Dhoon escorted through the town by
The local police who took their departure with profound
saaams The road which was merely narrow path for
horses nOchcd along the abrupt side of spur OF the
mountain commanded striking view Of deep gorge
on the right hand the sides of which terraced and
covered with uxuriant crops OF wheat a, assembled
further the Dhoon extended below US chequered with
forests and fields while the white fronts OF houses dotted
its veTduTOus map | was reminded OF the view from
Catski MOuutan-leuso, but missed the clearness aud
brillancy of our American atmosphere. Here, there
was film OF blue vapor on the landscape. like Grape
upon my eyes through which the more distant objects
plsnnered In indstinct and uncertain iors The fur
4her we climbed the DINNER became the scene, Until
there remained but Vapory chaosthe mere ghost of
world below u.s. out of which rose the SUBMITS OF the
Siwaik Hills as if upheayed by the subsdenco of the
sgitated elements.
The road was excessively steep. and only wide enough
TO admit of two horsemcn passing each other In many
places il oyeThung deScens which were 80 nearly pre-
eipitous that stone flung out would strike the earth
many hundreds of feet below The jungle became more
scanty and the Wild flowers ceased Patches OF snow
appeared the nights either side aud gshes of cod
wind sweeping through gaps in the range and hen
blew in our faces At length reached the top Of
ridge connecting with the summit upon which Laniowr
is perchcd The ROAD became more level, and when
skftng the tremendous gulf separating the branches Of
the range, was protected 10y balustrade. gateway
cut in the rock admitted to the north side OF the
ridge We had assembled and the passage through intro
.uced us to scenery of such different character tAat
IL might well bO called the Gate of the Seasons Be
hind US the sun shono warm the grass green ana
law blossoms still kept their places on the trees but
around and before beds Of snow, bare, brown
patches of sVsrd and lealcss boughs. Only the oak
an evergreen variety with leaf resembling the beach
and tie rhododeudron retained their foliage The
2lt before us was sprlnkcd with Oue-SOy bungalows,
xnich chung 10 such narrow lodges OF the mountain,
Or such abrupt and fghttul CULTS that they seemed
to have dropped and lodged there. This and the hou
SEES scattered along the irregular summit called Ian
dour. The place has an extent Of mile and half
and half the inhabitants at least during the
are English On enc of the highest points is large