1848.] The Turaee and Outer Mountains of Kumaoon. 409 



passage from its south to its north face : it is drained by the Ninglat 

 stream, which first flows West in the direction of the path to Nynee 

 Tal, and then north to the Kossila : exactly the reverse of the course 

 laid down in the Trigonometrical Map, where the engravers have drawn 

 the Gagur continuously, and were therefore compelled to make their 

 stream countermarch. 



From the Shamkhet valley the Almorah road ascends gradually to 

 " Jureepanee," — the root or source of the water — (one of the feeders of 

 the Goula), and then very steeply for 900 feet to the crest of the Gagur 

 Pass, 7200 feet above Calcutta by the observations of Lt. R. Strachey, 

 but 7768 according to Webb, which, though a probable misprint for 

 7168, is adopted by the geographers of Berlin, who mark the elevation 

 7314 Paris feet. Captain Herbert states it to be 7121. The moun- 

 tain is densely wooded with Rhododendron, Andromeda, Benthamia, 

 Viburnum, Pinus longifolia, and fine Quercus incana and dilatata ; but 

 Bishop Heber was misinformed as to the Deodar, which does not grow 

 here. His warrantry of the scenery renders description superfluous ; 

 yet it is by no means equal to what one commands from many other 

 points, as any of the peaks above the new road from the Pass to Nynee 

 Tal, or from the Peoorah Bungalow. The traveller from the N. W. is 

 struck by the nearness and boldness of the Himalaya — not a long cur- 

 tain, but broken up into huge groups, masses, and pinnacles — the Punj- 

 choola, the precipitious facades of Nunda Devee, and the colossal mass 

 of Trisool, being right in front. The line between these and Budree- 

 nath is partially masked by the Chamee ka Dhoora, the Choor of Ku- 

 maoon, a huge branch of the Trisool, attaining the elevation of about 

 13,500 feet. The nearer views comprize Binsur, Bhutkot, Doonagiri, 

 Seyahee Devee, and the long blue, or in winter white, Doodootolee 

 range, which fills the western horizon, and divides Kumaoon from Gurh- 

 wal. To the south the prospect is limited : but by ascending the West- 

 ern portal of the Pass, Bheemtal, with the exterior ranges, and a long 

 expanse of plain and forest come into the field of view. 



The Gagur Range has its appellation from one Gurg, who performed 

 penance at the source of the Goula : those cool regions which are hea- 

 ven to the Englishman, being hell to the Hindoo. Wilson explains 

 Gurg to be " one of the ten principal moonecs or saints, a son of Brah- 

 ma." Garggu means " descended from Gurg," and Gargec, the name of 



