Imperial Gazetteer Punjab 1908 Vol 1

· 1908 · Public domain (published pre-1930) · archive.org ↗

1UVOUNTAINS 181

2northern side is a more gentle descent into the elevated valley

3of Dehra Din, which separates this range from the Himalayas.

4The greatest height does not exceed 3,500 feet, and the range

5is about ten miles broad. A road from Saharanpur to Dehra

6crosses these hills by the Mohan Pass, but has lost its impor-

7tance since railway communication was opened through the

8eastern termination near the Ganges. Geologically. the Siwaliks

9are separated from the Outer Himalayas bya continuous reversed

10fault. They contain Tertiary strata consisting of fresh-water

11deposits, celebrated for the fussil remains found in them and

12described by Falconer and Cautley. The lower hills are thickly

13clothed with sé/ (Shorea robusta) and sain (Zerminatia tomen-

14tosa), while on the higher peaks a cooler climate allows pines

15tu flourish. Wild elephants are found, and also tigers, sloth

16bears, leopards, hyenas, various kinds of deer, and hog. The

17term ‘Siwalik’ has been applied by Muhammadan writers to

18the area lying south of the hills as fur as Hansi, and also to

19the Himalayas.

20[Falconer and Cauley, Pacanr elatigua Stee sis A846-

21y-66).1

22Salt Range.—Hill system in the Jhelum, Shihpur, and

23Mianwali Districts of the Punjab, deriving its namie from its

24extensive deposits of rock-salt, and extending from 32° 41’ to

2532° 56’ N. and 71° 42” to 73° E. It was known to the ancient

26historians as the Makhialah hills and the Koh-i-Jaid. The

27main chain commences in the lofty hill of Chail, 3.701 feet

28above sea-level, which is formed by the convergence of three

29spurs cropping up from the Jhelum nver, and d.vided from

30the Himalayan outliers only by the interv ning river valley.

31The most northern of these spurs rises abruptly from the mver

32bank at Sultanpur, and runs nearly parallel with the Petumn at

33a distance of 25 niiles, till it joms the main eham ater 2

34course of go miles. Tt bears the local name of the Nil hills.

35The second spur, known as the Roht3s range, runs half-way

36between the Nil hilly and the river, parallel with both. It

37contains the fort of Rohtas, and the hill of Tria in Jhelum

38istrict, 3,242 feet above sea-level. ‘The third or Pabbi spur

39rises south of the Jhelum, dips for a while on approac hing the

40river valley, and rises onee more on the northern bank till it

41finally unites with the two othcr chains in the central peak of

42Chail. Thence the united range runs westward in two parallel

43ridges, tll it culminates in the Saki-ar hill, on which are the

44suminer head-quarters of Shahpur, A\ttuck, and Miinw ih Dhs-

45tricts, 5,019 feet above sea-level. Between these Pe ~ of has,