Captain Gerard on Soobathoo and Kotgurh. 233 



be greater for the bright than for the blackened surface. Con- 

 siderable currents of air could not be avoided in the case de- 

 tailed in the observations on Huel Towan engine. 



Art. VII. — Account of the climate and agriculture of Sooba- 

 thoo' and Kotgurh. By Captain Patrick Gerard of the 

 Bengal Native Infantry. Communicated by the Author. 



Soobathoo, a small fort and military post, occupied by the 

 1st Nusseeree, or 6th local battalion, or hill-corps, is situated 

 in North latitude 30° 58', and east longitude 76° 59', about 

 4205 feet by barometrical measurement above the level of the 

 sea, and about 3000 feet above the protected Seikh states, in 

 the plains of Hindoostan. Its horizontal distance from the 

 latter, from which it is separated by two intermediate ranges 

 of low hills, is ten miles ; from the nearest point of the Hima- 

 layan chain about sixty-five miles; from the Sutliij, or Su- 

 toodra (the ancient Hesudrus,) twenty-four; and from Kot- 

 gurh, forty. It is the chief place of the Purgunnah of the 

 same name, and was formerly comprised in the state of Tha- 

 kooraee, or lordship of Theoouthul; but was ceded to the 

 British Government at the termination of the war with the 

 Goorkha power. 



The Pergunnah of Soobathoo is a sort of flat or table-land, 

 having mountains in the neighbourhood from 4600 to 8000 

 feet in height above the sea. Its general aspect is open and 

 much exposed ; and being comparatively low and near the 

 plains, it is in some degree subject to the effects of the hot 

 winds, which blow from thence during the months of April, 

 May, and June, although the intermediate ranges are consi- 

 derably elevated above it. The fort lies on the right bank of 

 a branch of the small river Gumbrer, which flows about 1100 

 feet below it on the south-west, and at the distance of one mile 

 in a straight line. From the table-land there is a very steep 

 descent towards the south-west and north-east, whilst the south- 

 east and north-west sides are bounded by ranges of moderate 

 elevation. The hills in the immediate neighbourhood are al- 

 most entirely destitute of wood, while those at a short distance 



