1848.] The Turaee and Outer Mountains of Kumaoon. 377 



days since. The temple commands beautiful views of the mountains, 

 the outer ranges, and the Dhoon, all, except the few clearings, envelop- 

 ed in forest. About a quarter of a mile east of the temple, I was sur- 

 prised to come on a mansion and petty settlement, closely hemmed in by 

 the wilderness, the present residence of Purmen Singh, uncle of the 

 (by courtesy) Almorah Raja ; he has some villages at Kasheepoor, but 

 came to this " sacred storehouse of his predecessors," to supplicate the 

 goddess, and to shoot, with small success in either object, being laid up 

 with fever. 



To the east of Kotah the Gagur presents a group of three lofty 

 peaks, probably 8000 feet high, separated from Cheenur by the col, 

 Pungoot or Punota ka khet, about 7000 feet high, where the Boodlakot 

 villagers raise some wheat, nominally for their own use, but really for 

 that of the Jurao, Ghoorul, and other deer which swarm in the woods 

 and rocks. Immediately N. "W. of the three Kotah Peaks is the Budhan 

 Binaik : then the Budhan Dhoora, 8500 feet high, where the Gagur 

 turns west to Souchulia, a point of similar altitude, with a Trigonome- 

 trical Chubootra, determined to be 8526 feet, due N. of Putulia ; and 

 terminates in the huge rounded, rocky summit, known as the Devee ka 

 Dhoonga and Bahmunee ka Danda. This, which will probably turn 

 out the highest point of the range, is marked by a barrow in the great 

 map, and radiates in every direction : one branch descends west to Dhi- 

 kolee, another south to Dola and Kotah forts. The Kotah Peaks send off 

 to the S. W. a great spur called the Kureel ka Danda, on a point of 

 which above the Dhoon is a murhee or cairn, sacred to Teet Devee. 

 All the waters between Bahmunee Danda and the Kotah Peaks unite 

 to form the Dubka, as the Kureel and Dola spurs do the Kotah Pass j 

 up this lies the high road to Almorah, through a glen remarkable for its 

 extremely wild and savage scenery : for many miles there is not a vestige 

 of cultivation, or indeed any space for it : nothing but steep and dense 

 forest, or extensive landslips, which occasion many a wearisome ascent 

 in what would otherwise be a gradual rise. Before this road was con- 

 structed, it is difficult to imagine how it was traversed : yet the fort at 

 its base (Kotah) and another (the Gagur Fort of the map about 200 

 yards N. W. of the summit) imply that then, as now, it was greatly 

 frequented and carefully guarded. The crest is the most level of all 

 the Gagur Passes ; and is known as the Budhan Binaik, or simply 



