JOURNEY TO SIRINAGUR. 337 



o^ Sirinngut^ for the seat of government, to' the more 

 temperate and healthy situations in other parts of this 

 mountainous tract. Tli£ result of my enquiries was 

 wh'dt I expected. No other parts of the mountains, 

 in the vicinity of the holy waters of the Ganges, pos- 

 sess, at the same time, an equal extent of plain ground, 

 and convenience of a sufficient and constant supply 

 of running water, two indispensable requisites in the 

 formation of an extensive settlement, and particularly 

 to settlers whose religious tenets teach them (and just- 

 ly so) to consider the former among the most valu- 

 able gifts of nature; and enjoin them to a very liberal 

 use of that blessing in the performance of some of the 

 sacred functions of their cast. 



The foundation of this rajc, by the records kept in 

 the archieves of the state, is placed at a very remote 

 period, but they are so blended with fabulous descrip- 

 tion, that the account will hardlv admit of beins; re- 

 lated, much more of receiving the sanction of au- 

 thenticity. 



It is stated that 3774 years before the accession of 

 the present rajah, the country was divided into twen- 

 ty-two purgunnahs, under the government of several 

 chiefs, independant of each other, that they were 

 united by the victorious exertions of a native of yi/z- 

 medabad Gujerat^ named Bono Dhuxf, who with 

 his brother Sedje Dhunt, left their native country, 

 to seek for better fortune: and entering the hilly 

 tract, now called Siriuagiir, took service with the ra- 

 jah of the country. The former entertained in the 

 service of the Chaandpore rajah, with vrhom, in a few- 

 years, he acquired considerable consequence, and was 

 entrusted with high military authority. In this situ- 

 ation, at the advice of a Jougee, who appeared in a vi- 

 sion, he formed the ambitious design, not only of 

 seizing the possessions of his master, but of aiming 

 at the con quest of the whole country; and such Avas 

 his success, that after deposing the rajah of Chaand- 

 pore, who was by far the most powerful in the coun- 

 VoL. VI. Z try, 



