which he did not pretend properly to understand, called by him "a rarefaction of the atmosphere." His dress was a quilted yest, of green satin, with white shawl girdle, red turban, party-coloured socks, and gold earrings, with pearl pendants; triple rows of pearls formed his necklace, bracelets of precious stones ornamented his arms, and rings, sparkling with gems, glittered on his fingers. The great idol of the temple, during the season of pilgrimage, has a superb table laid at two o'clock, and his velvet couch is spread every night; but in the inclement part of the year he is shut up, and left to starve, while the high priest and his sensual Brahmans retire to a more congenial climate, to enjoy their dancing girls.

The surrounding mountains contain many natural curiosities; hot and cold springs; water-falls from projecting ledges of snowy hills, rolling in shower baths over precipices; lead and copper mines; and such frequent earthquakes occur, that nearly all the temples have been shattered. Some of the shrubs, plants, and trees of Europe are seen here; the hazel and briar, the fir and oak, and the strawberry, bloom in the valleys, and climb up the hills till lost in snow. But a custom prevails among the inhabitants not less interesting than many other things, and this is the human sacrifice they offer to the offended spirit of the great mountain after a bad harvest, by hurling a man from the top of a precipice, nearly a mile high,

down a rope made fast above and below. If he have the dexterity to balance himself so as to reach the bottom unhurt, a great reward awaits him; but should he fall, and any life remain in him, his head is immediately severed from his body.

Nepaul lies in the north-east of Hindostan. It may be said to occupy the whole of that quarter from the river Sutleje to Bootan, being a distance of about 700 miles, but its average breadth does not exceed 100, and it all lies between the latitudes 27° and 32°. It is one of the most mountainous regions in the world; the lower hills and valleys only being inhabited; so that by calculation its cultivated area does not exceed ten millions of acres, and its population may be estimated at two millions of souls. The district properly called Nepaul, is of small extent: it in fact consists of little more than a beautiful oval valley twelve miles long, and nine broad, watered by the Bhagmutty and Bishenmutty rivers. On one side of the Bishenmutty stands the capital called Catmandoo, and on the other the ancient city of Pattan. For several centuries this lovely spot was governed by its own rajahs, but in the year 1768 it was invaded and conquered by Parthi Narrain, the rajah of Goorca, who afterwards removed the seat of his government to Catmandoo, which is now the

*This is given on the authority of Captain Raper and Lieutenant Webb, who witnessed the ceremony. Vide Asiatic Researches, vol. xi,

metropolis of the whole Nepaulese territories. For a considerable time before, the Goorcas had been famous as warriors, belonging in general to the Khetri sect. Their rajah claims descent from the same origin as Sevagee, whose family is allowed to be very ancient. This warlike people soon conquered all the neighbouring provinces, seventeen in number, and forced the numerous rajahs to become tributary to theirs, who is now despotic sovereign of this extensive region.

Being forsaken by the principal families, who followed their rajah to Catmandoo, Goorca is now in a state of decay. It is famous for rock crystal, of which there is a great abundance near it. Many of the small provinces that compose the kingdom of Nepaul deserve but little notice. Mocwanpore is remarkable for containing a very strong fort, situated on the summit of a mountain, to which, when sore pressed by an enemy, the Goorcas send their families and treasure. This was the case when Nepaul was invaded by the Chinese Tartars. It is so very strong that Cossim Aly's Armenian general, Goorgeen Khan, besieged it during nearly the whole of the year 1762, in vain, Kemaoon is one of the most fertile provinces, containing several fine valleys. Almora is also a productive district. The tree called phulwarah, the nuts of which contain a vast quantity of fat, is found on its hills. This province is watered by the river Causila, which is deep and broad; and

there being no bridge, it is crossed in a curious manner by means of large gourds, several of which are made fast to the waist of an excellent swimmer, many of whom attend at proper stations. The passenger has only to hold fast by his guide's girdle, and he is ferried over with safety. Almora, the capital of this district, is seated on the top of a mountain. Serinagur is another large province intersected by extraordinary chains of hills, and covered with forests of oak, holly, horse-chesnut, and fir: it has a very strong hill fort called Sangur, which resisted the Nepaulese, who besieged it for twelve months, about the year 1791. This was their first attempt to conquer the country, but it was not effected till 1803. An army of 10,000 men then entered it; and a furious battle was fought near Gurudwarra, where the Serinagur rajah was slain by a musket ball, his forces routed, and his country became the prey of the victor. The valley, in the centre of which Serinagur stands, is three miles in diameter, watered by the Alcananda, a fine broad river, which is crossed near the town by a bridge of rope thrown across a narrow part, eighty feet wide, where the rush of water has cut a passage for itself through a mountain. Here the houses are well built of stone, two stories high, and slated; but the streets are narrow; and with the exception of several curious pagodas, the rajah's house is the only remarkable edifice, being built of coarse granite to the height of four stories.

These mountainous regions are covered with deep forests in many places of Saul or Sissoo; in others they are barren: the elephant abounds, but he is here of a small breed; peacocks and pheasants are in great numbers; mines of copper, iron, and lead, are here in inexhaustible plenty, as well as fine marble; and the sand of the rivers, when washed, yields a considerable quantity of gold. The principal food of the inhabitants is wheaten bread, peas, rice, pulses, and vegetables, with such seasoning of animal food and curries as are permitted by the rules of their castes. All the country is subject to a sort of military government. The power of the Goorcas is absolute, the subject having no protection but that of the great council of state, called Punjunni, which consists of the ministers and such chiefs as the rajah nominates. By the decree of this tribunal, any subject may be deprived of life and land; but except on particular occasions the administration of criminal and civil laws is according to the Dharma Sastra, which is an ancient code founded in equity. In some cases, however, the mode of punishment is by levying a fine on the district where the offence has been committed, and in default of payment, the offender and family are seized. Nepaul has to its north the lofty Himalaya, covered with eternal snow. Though this Though this range of mountains be forty miles from Catmandoo, yet its immense height (peaks of it being more than 22,000 feet above the sea) causes it to appear as if hanging