58 1 The Turaee and Outer Mountains of Kumaoon. [June, 



But these legends are also his substitute for our drama, opera, 

 romance, novel, poem and newspaper ; and are probably in the long 

 run as true and exact as the adventures and motives with which the 

 western world is contented. It is more than likely that no such per- 

 sons as Ram and Krishn ever lived, but what of that 1 If we analyze 

 our own feelings we shall find that Hamlet, Falstaff, Jonathan Old- 

 back, though utterly fictitious in event, enjoy a real presence and life 

 in our minds and speech, while Alexander and Csesar are little more 

 than shadows ; it was perhaps this train of thought carried beyond its 

 legitimate limits which led the Indian writers to neglect the ordinary 

 method of history, and adopt the spiritual romance in its stead. That 

 the character of their heroes should exhibit what to us appear so many 

 objectionable traits, may arise from the fact that their celestial system 

 is so adapted to the analogies which they felt and saw in themselves 

 and around them, that it does not recognize the existence of beings 

 either supremely good or hopelessly bad : the former class fall occa- 

 sionally like Vulcan of old into the nets of Venus, the latter, by 

 penance, obtain the dominion of the world. There is no personifica- 

 tion of " nature's mischief," undiluted, to be held forth as a moral 

 beacon. 



The Pauranic legends regarding Kumaoon are contained in the 

 Manuskhand section of the Skund Poorana : Mr, Batten promises 

 a Hindee version, which would be of much local interest : otherwise 

 their tenor will be to the effect how this saint inherited the earth by 

 standing on his head, or between five fires for so many years : and 

 that he obtained the beatific vision, perhaps the magnetic trance, by a 

 sedulous contemplation of the tip of his own nose, &c. 



There is nothing peculiar in the botany of Lohooghat, except per- 

 haps the great abundance of a lilac Primula which fringes every 

 stream, flowering during the winter and early spring. It is equally 

 abundant at Chumpawut and Pithorahgurh : and pretty common at 

 Almorah : and if not P. speciosa, Wall, should be distinguished as 

 P. rivularis. Dr. Bollard states that Ranunculus lingua flourishes 

 luxuriantly in the low marshy vallies, and is fatal to the sheep and 

 goats which feed on it with avidity. The plant intended was probably 

 R. arvensis. 



\7th March. — From Lohooghat to Dhurgura, about 10 miles north ; 

 the road good, but narrow, and one succession of ups and downs. 



