582 The Turaee and Outer Mountains of Kumaoon. [June, 



On a conical peak, about 5 miles west of the station is Kotulgurh, 

 the Fort Hastings of our maps, fabled to have been the stronghold of 

 the arrow-demon Banasoor Danava and Daitya, son of Raja or Muha- 

 buli, who here fought with Vishnoo and his Soors, and prevailed not, 

 though the conflict was long doubtful. No sooner was a Daitya slain, 

 and his blood poured on the ground, than it produced a hundred others, 

 so that the greater the slaughter of their enemies, the farther were the 

 gods from victory. In this difficulty, Muhakalee was created, like 

 Pandora, by general donations from the celestials, and by her were the 

 giants at length exterminated. Amongst those who fell by her hand 

 was Kottuvee, the mother of Banasoor, who, with a coat of mail over 

 her bust, and naked from the waist downwards, fought like an amazon 

 on the battlements : which are said to derive their name from her 

 exploits and appearance, Kotulgurh being interpreted by " The fortress, 

 the abode of the naked woman." 



The existence of Banasoor in any age or place would be a matter of 

 no easy proof, but the received traditions of India locate Muhabulipoor 

 on the Coromandel shore below Madras, and Banasoor still further 

 south near Devicotta ; the learned pundits of Kumaoon, however, locate 

 all these wonders at and around Lohooghat, and affirm that Sooee is no 

 other than Sonitpoor — " the red city," of the Shasters, the abode of 

 Banasoor. The peculiarities of the soil at and around Lohooghat explain 

 the mystery. On removing the sod, in some places a blue, but far 

 more generally a deep red ferruginous clay is found to form the ground, 

 and to this the people appeal as ocular demonstration of the legend : 

 it owes its color to nothing else than the blood of the giants. During 

 the rainy season, the Lohoo or M blood" river, is similarly discolored : 

 and hence the name of the station. We find the same idea in the 

 mountains of Lebanon, where 



" Smooth Adonis, from his native rock," 



" Ran purple to the sea, supposed with blood, 

 Of Thammuz yearly wounded." 



It is amusing enough to find that Banasoor was "an inhabitant 

 householder at Sooee, paying scot and lot, and had a house on the 

 right-hand side of the way, as you go down the Jhoorn hill, just 

 opposite the poulterers:" but to those who hold morally and meta- 

 physically the opinions maintained geologically by Lyell and his 

 school, viz. that forces still in operation, have produced all the exist- 



