of Soobathoo and Kotgurh. 2£39 



out injury. These species are, T believe, yet unknown in 

 botany, and their introduction into Britain and other parts of 

 Europe might prove an important acquisition. They are 

 both of the coarser sort. 



Kotgurh was formerly comprised in the Purgunnah of 

 Lundhock, one of the divisions of the independent petty state 

 of Kotgoonoo ; but was ceded to the British government 

 shortly after the termination of the war with Nepaul in this 

 quarter, in 1815. 



The natives of this part of the country are subject to the 

 goitre, or large swelling in the neck. The other complaints 

 most prevalent among them are fevers and rheumatism. 



The general aspect of the country around Kotgurh differs 

 materially from that of the lower mountains near the plains. 

 The ranges are more regular, and the hills are lofty and 

 abrupt. The villages are few, and in general very small ; 

 the population is scanty and scattered, and does not seem to 

 be on the increase *. The quantity of waste land is very con- 

 siderable ; but great part of it evidently appears to have been 

 cultivated at an antecedent period, indicating beyond a doubt 

 that the country was better peopled formerly than it is now. 

 Most of the villages are more or less in ruins, and some of 

 the houses which are still standing are unoccupied. This 

 may be partly accounted for by the tyrannical measures fre- 

 quently resorted to by the Goorkha chiefs to keep a refrac- 

 tory people under subjection. 



In addition to what has been formerly mentioned of the 

 agriculture of this part of the country, the following observa- 

 tions may be made. 



* The circumstance of population being stationary may be easily ac- 

 counted for by the frequency of female infanticide; by the prevalence of 

 the revolting custom of polyandry, or a plurality of husbands to one wife; 

 by the promiscuous intercourse which takes place between the sexes, from 

 the early age of eight or ten, female chastity being here entirely unknown; 

 and by the existence of slavery. The first of these, so far as I know, is 

 now of rare occurrence in those states which have been subjected to British 

 authority ; and the traffic in slaves, which was formerly carried on to a 

 considerable extent with the plains of Hindoostan, especially from the 

 lower hills, has certainly of late years much diminished. It is therefore 

 tobe expected that population will now begin to increase. 



