1848.] The Turaee and Outer Mo&tains of Kumaoon. 591 



able cultivation ; the acclivities of the surrounding mountains, cut down 

 into cliffs, or rounded into rocky knolls, are covered with thickets of 

 the " Runnel" Rhus parvhiora ; its leaves blighted by the late severe 

 snows, give the glen much of the wild heathery look of the Irish and 

 Scottish mountains. The Cratcegus crenulata, so abundant in Kalee 

 and western Kumaoon does not grow hereabouts : the limestone may be 

 inimical to it. 



From Thurkot, the road gradually rises to the Eichoolee ka khan 

 (one of the sources of the Jameer) on the crest of which, to the east, 

 lies the vale of Shor, commonly known to Europeans as Pithoragurh ; 

 the name is said to be from the Sanscrit Swurg-arohun, " the ascent to 

 heaven," one of the avatars having selected this route to return there. 

 The station is still nearly two miles distant. The valley had an aspect 

 strangely remote from any other in our territories, and in itself and the 

 character of its surrounding mountains, brings Europe to our recollec- 

 tion more" vividly than any other spot I have seen in Asia. At a rough 

 guess it may be about 5 miles across, falling gently to the south-east, 

 and bisected into north and south by a tabular ridge of slate, limestone, 

 and greenstone, originating in the mountains to the N. W. and branch- 

 ing down to S. E. On the south-western exposure of this spur stands 

 the station, now occupied by two companies of the Kumaoon battalion. 

 Fort Loudon or Pithoragurh is, a few hundred yards to the west, on 

 a mound, apparently artificially scarped, about 15 feet high, crowned 

 by a loop-holed wall, 7 or 8 feet high, with the barbette platforms, 

 and broken cisterns which will hold no water ; on a commanding point 

 to the N. W. there is a pepper box-kind of outwork, called Wilkie- 

 gurh. The elevation of the station above Calcutta is 5547 feet. The 

 whole valley is prettily dotted with small villages, generally placed on 

 eminences, and surrounded by the only trees visible, except the distant 

 forests of Bissar and Thakil. The land is often nearly quite level for 

 extensive tracts, and is carefully cultivated with wheat, &c. The soil 

 is a stiff clay, which, after ploughing, requires being broken up by 

 wooden mallets. The people do not emigrate to the Bhabur, which, 

 with the fertility of the soil, is the cause of the abundance and cheap- 

 ness of provisions compared with Lohooghat and Almorah. Flour 

 here sells for about 30 sers the rupee, when it is only 18 at Almorah, 

 and would be still cheaper if the Bhotiyas did not carry away much ; 



