1848.] The Turaee and Outer Mountains of Kumaoon, 391 



is about to be secured by the politic enactment of exacting one rupee 

 for every tree felled, which will save the young timber, and induce 

 the merchants to search for the largest and oldest trees. The elephants 

 conspire with man in damaging the woods : whole clumps of Bamboo, 

 roots and stems, equally overturned by them, are met everywhere. 



The ascent of the Kumola Ghat is gradual, and the summit level, 

 with very gentle fall towards the Kotah Dhoon : all is completely cloth- 

 ed with forest. Towards the summit, we find Bassia butyracea, Elseag- 

 nus conferta, " Mijhoula;' 3 two species of Citrus, probably Limonum and 

 Medica, " Jameer," and " Bijoura," (the last also in abundance along 

 the Surjoo under Gungolee,) ; and abundance of Piper longum, called 

 " Pippula-mor," an article of considerable value as an export. There 

 is also a species of Embelia with fruit in umbels ; and a handsome shrub, 

 Tetranthera fruticosa, or apetala, which also grows at Poonagiri, below 

 Gungolee, &c, and is sometimes known as the " Gur-bijour," or wild 

 citron, and Myda or " Meda-lukree ;" but the tree particularly so de- 

 signated, pointed out to me near Ramesur, appeared to be Laurus 

 villosa, Roxb. and its Hill name Kupooa Kouwul. At the mouth of the 

 Pass, Rubus distans and Calamus Rotang,* " Bet," are found. 



The construction and nature of the Goth demand a few words. The 

 term is corrupted from "goshth," a station for herdsmen or cattle, and 

 in the mountains denotes the ground-floor of the house, devoted to cat- 

 tle, as distinguished from panda, the upper storey, occupied by the 

 family. In the Bhabur, where the arrangements are temporary, and 

 only calculated for the winter, ranges of from ten to twenty rude sheds 

 are. placed side by side, formed of branches, and roughly thatched with 

 grass and leaves. The depth is sometimes 150 or 200 feet, and any 

 rain-water which might pour down through the re-entering angles of 

 the general roof, is carried away by small gutters. The exterior walls 

 are generally well fortified with brambles to repel the approach of wild 

 beasts. The height is little more than enough to admit the cattle to 

 stand ; their owners occupy the inner end, which is partitioned off, and 

 made snug with plaster, &c, for their abode. Here they luxuriate in 

 boundless ghee, milk, and curds,, selling the former in great quantities 

 to dealers from the plains. It' would seem to be a very prolific food ; 

 children of all sizes lie about as thick as the quails round the camp of 



* Calamus lloylci, Griff. ! 



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