The view from the top is very extensive to the northward, but not elsewhere: it commands the Assam valley and the Himalaya, and the billowy range of undulating grassy Khasia mountains. Few houses were visible, but the curling smoke from the valleys betrayed their lurking-places, whilst the tinkling sound of the hammers from the distant forges on all sides was singularly musical and pleasing; they fell on the ear like "bells upon the wind," each ring being exquisitely melodious, and chiming harmoniously with the others. The solitude and beauty of the scenery, and the emotions excited by the music of chimes, tended to tranquillise our minds, wearied by the fatigues of travel, and the excitement of pursuits that required unremitting attention; and we rested for some time, our imaginations wandering to far-distant scenes, brought vividly to our minds by these familiar sounds. CHAPTER XXIX. View of Himalaya from the Khasia -- Great masses of snow -- Chumulari -- Donkia -- Grasses -- Nunklow -- Assam valley and Burrampooter -- Tropical forest -- Borpanee -- Rhododendrons -- Wild elephants -- Blocks of Syenite -- Return to Churra -- Coal -- August temperature -- Leave for Chela -- Jasper hill -- Birds -- _Arundina_ -- Habits of leaf-insects -- Curious village -- Houses -- Canoes -- Boga-panee river -- Jheels -- Chattuc -- Churra -- Leave for Jyntea hills -- Trading parties -- Dried fish -- Cherries -- Cinnamon -- Fraud -- Pea-violet -- Nonkreem -- Sandstone -- Pines -- Granite boulders -- Iron washing -- Forges -- Tanks -- Siberian _Nymphaea_ -- Barren country -- Pomrang -- _Podostemon_ -- Patchouli plant -- Mooshye -- Enormous stone slabs -- Pitcher-plant -- Joowye cultivation and vegetation -- _Hydropeltis_ -- Sulky hostess -- Nurtiung -- _Hamamelis chinensis_ -- Bor-panee river -- Sacred grove and gigantic stone structures -- Altars -- Pyramids, etc. -- Origin of names -- _Vanda coerulea_ -- Collections -- November vegetation -- Geology of Khasia -- Sandstone -- Coal -- Lime -- Gneiss -- Greenstone -- Tidal action -- Strike of rocks -- Comparison with Rajmahal hills and the Himalaya.