Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1869-09-01
A Day among the HimalayaS


a narrow valley, one days journey from
the plains Wishing to reach the mission
house at Paori, thirty miles distant, before
night-fall, | had arranged for double
march, and accordingly set out before
sunrise. The roads among the Himalay-
as are simply narrow foot-paths, cut along
the mountain side, with an average width
Of about six feet. No wheeled vehicle is
/ ever seen, and thousands Of the people are
unable to understand what kind of a ma
chine cart is, although they have heard
of its rolling feet from neighbors who have
visited the plains. | was mounted on
sure-footed hill-pony, and being familiar
with the way, rode briskly up the noun
tam side, and soon began to draw ne;s- a.
the region Of the clouds, can wslf re-
member how l used to W. urarmed " my
school-boy day, by stories Of traveleI who
mounted above the clouds, and listened to
the thunder as it reyerberated among the
mountains below them, but | must confess
that a little experience in cloud-land has
taken away most of the charms which
used to find in pictures of this kind.
Clouds vary much at different attitudes,
but those met with on high mountains are
apt to be very damp, disagreeable fogs,
and when chilled by coming in contact
with large mountain, they precipitate
rain-drops in torrents The state of the
atmosphere, and the direction of the wind,
seem to modify the rain-giving capacity of
these clouds, and it often happens that
mountain summit is enveloped by dense
mass Of fog, one side of which pours out
rain, while the other simply bedews the
grass, like a summer mist from the Ohio
River.
On this occasion | reached the crest of
the mountain-about 5000 feet high
without encountering rain, but this did not
lessen my anxiety for the rest Of the
journey. Beyond me saw vast expanse
of mountains and clouds, ravines and
valleys, sunshine and storms The Him.
alayas consists of vast belt of precipitous
mountains, about sixty miles in width, all
jumbled together in utter confusion.
Along the northern edge of these mountains
rises a long white wall, with peaks
piercing the sky, like celestial watch
towers, while its lowest point is five times
as high as the Aleghanies. L was stand
ing on one of the lower mountains, and
before me was spread out picture of
enhancing beauty. \ snow-storm was
raging on one mountain, rain was pouring
down on another, a third was bathed in
golden sunlight, while gloomy shadows
were brooding over other SUBMITS. Below
me the clouds were spread out like torn
curtains, through the rents of which l
could catch glimpses of beautiful valley;
five miles away, where the hot sun poured
down its rays with tho intensity # the
tropics. My road led me down :
valley, across a river, and up the eH
side. | dismounted, gave the pony to one
| of the two natives who accompanied me,
and started down the mountain
After proceeding about a mile and a
half, an opening in the clouds gave us
glimpse of the river below, which had been
swollen by recent rains, and was rushing
along in furious, foaming torrent The
natives at once declared that the ford
would be impossible, and that it was
useless to advance. Another road led to a
bridge farther down the stream, but it
would add several miles to our journey to
return to its junction with our road, and so
we determined to Chamber up narrow
footpath and reach it at a nearer point.
Soon we were buried among the high grass
and bushes, and for time all went well
enough, but by and by the footpath
disappeared. and our progress was COM
pletely arrested by fallen trees and
precipitous rocks. | sat down to rest, but
a few big rain-drops warned me that had
no time to spend in that way. We
scrambled back as best we could, and
having reached the road, stopped to plan
for the next move Fortunately a native
from hamlet. below came along, and.
being acquainted with the neighborhood,
offered to act as our guide. We continued
on the regular road for about two miles,
and then struck off again into the jungle.
After long and weary scramble we
came to little hamlet on the mountain
side, and, as the rain was now coming
down in steady patter. we were glad to
accept the invitation of viIlager to take
shelter in his house. All the men in the
hamlet, thirteen in number, crowded in
after me, and the little room was crowded
to its utmost capacity. The house was
built of stone, with one low door, no