Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-11-21
BEAUTIES OF CHUMBA
70
A Mountain Journey and
It's Surprises.
y f.
NATURAL j STRONGHOLD
TOWN SURROUNDED By CLIFFS
400 FEET HIGH.
Rules Of the Road and the Bunga-
low in In
dia.
NATURAL STRONGHOLD
Special Correspondence of The Evening Star.

Special Correspondence Of The Evening Star.
DALHOUSIE, India, October 80, 1908.
Ever since our arrival in Dalhousie we
have been hearing Of the beauties OF Chum-
ba and had at last after many inquiries sue
ceeded in discovering that it was very
old town, far back in the mountains. at the
extreme south point of the state Of Kashmir;
and at last we, with groans and means at
the thought of leaving our dear little bum
galow and our beautiful view, decided that
1t was a solemn duty to see Chumba, and
that the sooner it was over the better. Had
we been in any other country we would
have been able to find out the distance,
order our horses and start the next day,
but alas, India is very different! Our guide
book barely mentioned the place, only say
ing at the end of short description Of Dali
housie, 1.-THE scenery is very fine, especially
in the neighborhood Of Chumba. twelve
miles Distant So we first consulted the
chokidar, the caretaker Of the place, and
he declared it to be fully twenty-eight miles
away, a very bad road and impossible to be
done in one day; then we sent for the Eng
disappearing Chowdri, the head man in the
bazaar, and he informed US that 1t was
twenty miles and usually done in two days.
1.-The Huzoors can do 1t in one day, but
much fatigue will coming at the end. All
up the hill it goeth at the first and the end
of 1t down."
We decided, however, to do 1t in one day.
as we did not want the bother OF taking
tents and we were not sure of rooms at ku-
jear, the only place on the way where there
was a dak-bungalow, SO we first examined
the Chowdri's book, which had list or the
prices to be paid coolies and dandy kahars
(carriers). and then deliberately wrote down
our order for two days later.
six Kahars to Chumba and return at
111a annas the trip, return equals y annas,
each equals rupees annas ($2.72)
"One pony with sails equals II rupees
$3.50 for the whole trip
Three luggage coolies rupees, IL annas
G1.33)."
When Sunshine Came.
The rains at last had ceased and the
weather was very much like the loveliest
of our early October days in America,
crisp and cool and clear, and the day set
for our journey proved no exception. We
started at promptly, the pony leading,
followed closely by the dandy and the three
coolies, with their loads on their heads.
Such another lovely ride it would be diff
cult to find in the world!
First down our own fern-fringed path,
then up the opposite hillside, across the top
and into the depths Of the most beautiful
forest imaginable, in which we remained
threading our way along very narrow
path, until o'clock. Now and again a
party of charcoal coolies, men and women,
with heavy loads on their backs, passed
us, covered with silver jewelry and look
ing as happy and content as human being
could look. Then again from the far dis
lance would sound out the gayest of songs
with such a happy note in it as it would
be hard to describe.
Nearer and nearer came the singer, who
usually turned out to be a solemn looking
young lad with as few clothes possible
upon his brown body, and always a coral
necklace on, his neck. We were accom-
panied nearly all the way by one mystic
rious singer whom we never saw. but whose
odd minor wall which had mad note in
1t at times seemed to come from directly
below us, or again. from far ahead, and
once in while quite close to our ears.
1t had an uncanny sound In the depth
Of that wonderful forest and fascinated
and charmed US. Such woods! all huge
frs and pines and deodars with flowers and
ferns galore.
Flowers and Ferns.
We counted fifty varieties Of flowers
and thirty of ferns in no time. We wound
our way around deep gorges, down which
rushed the maddest kind Of mountain
streams; and here and there came to an
opening which gave US lovely view Of
masses of mountains and far down the
houses, ON the fiat roofs of which great
masses of small red peppers or brilliant
orange Indian corn were laid out to dry
in the sun.
In the lovely canons, as one wanted to
call them, troops Of very large monkeys
were frisking about, taking enormous
leaps from tree to tree, and frolicking to-
gether like a lot of children. They were
the most attractive kind Of monkeys with
long. silvery gray hair and black faces
quite surrounded by thick white beard.
Little brown martins raced about the trees
quite fearlessly, and in one place we saw
a solemn looking bear, pacing slowly along.
He gazed at us for a bit and then logged
off into the woods, apparently feeling little
fear We stopped at IL o'clock and had
a frugal breakfast, sitting on the huge
roots Of a fir tree, and at 100 we suddenly
emerged from the woods and out into the
most smiling little valley imaginable. a
little green cup in the hills. for it was
clothed in long grass. quite sur
rounded by the thick forest.
In the very center of it lay a small lake
and in the middle of that little island
covered with slim young trees. which
looked like white birches, and great was
our surprise when. as we looked at 1t, we
saw it move and the whole island sailed
slowly across the lake, then around it. and.
in fact was never still.
A Made Island.
We discovered that it was one Of the
the lakes of Kashmir and which are al
ways a surprise. Around the lake was a
marsh in which thirty or forty buffalo were
wading and splashing and some of these
huge creatures were lying fiat down in
the mud. At the edge Of thewoods we found
the dak-bungalow of kuiear. and near
by a small bazaar Of only two shops, SO
we sent our natives off to get their food
and we betook ourselves to the veranda,
where we found some American rocking
chairs much to our surprise.
The khansamah Of the bungalow prompt
Nv appearing, we inquired about tiffln, and
were told that the Huzoors could have
that meal in "oHe-half of an hour" all be-
ing ready except the pertaters," which he
declared with an embarrassed and apollo
getic air. though they had been cooking
one very long hour, were still very hard"
So we waited for the ''pertaters.'' which.
when they did appear finally. tasted more
like soap, the soap of ones Imagination,
than like the old, familiar "pertater."
After an hours rest for man and beast
we once more started on our way through
the forest. and; at A came out into the
open on the vely" tor, of mountain. where
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