All this, however, is a digression, and I have to describe the normal modes of travel of the present day. Srinagar is 196 miles distant from the railway at Rawal Pindi, and is connected with it by a good cart-road--good, that is in its normal condition, but excessively bad after heavy rain, when at places the whole mountain-side slides down with the road into the river. The usual mode of conveyance is a tonga, a very common form of vehicle in the Indian "hills." It has two wheels, is drawn by a pair of ponies, has four seats back to back, and carries a mountain of luggage piled up on the splash-boards and on the roof. The ponies, when the season is not crowded and the road is good, gallop at full speed, and are changed every five or six miles. In the full part of the season, which generally coincides with the heaviest fall of rain, with much beating, pulling, and shouting they can scarcely be induced to reach a trot, and may think themselves lucky if they find a change at the end of their stage.
Other means of conveyance for which extra charge is made are landaus and victorias. These, though more comfortable, are heavier for the ponies, and are more difficult to manipulate over bad places in the rainy season.
Spare baggage and servants can be brought up in the ordinary Indian ckka which, with one pony without changes, takes six to eight days to reach Srinagar; or in bullock carts which take fourteen days.
Tongas will take two, three, four or more days according to the length of the day, the nature of the road, and the disposition of the traveller. The tonga carrying the English mail, travelling almost continuously, covers the distance in thirty-six hours. In the long summer days travellers, starting early, can accomplish the journey in two days.
Every fourteen miles or so is a dak bungalow, where for the payment of one rupee a furnished room is provided, and on further payment meals may be obtained at any time, but "bedding" must always be taken, as nothing but the bare bed is provided.
The stages from Rawal Pindi (1790 feet) at which these bungalows may be found, are:--
Tret 25½ miles 25½ miles Sunnybank (6000 feet) (for Murree, 2 miles distant) 11¼ " 36¾ " Kohala (2000 feet) 27½ " 64¼ " Dulai (2180 feet) 12 " 76¼ " Domel (2320 feet) 9 " 85¼ " Garhi (2750 feet) 13½ " 98¾ " Chakoti (3780 feet) 21 miles 119¾ miles Uri (4425 feet) 13½ " 133¼ " Rampur (4825 feet) 13 " 146¼ " Baramula (5150 feet) 16 " 162¼ " Patan (5200 feet) 16½ " 178¾ " Srinagar (5250 feet) 17½ " 196¼ "