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



beautifully cultivated vale of the Salee river, which rises in and about 

 the level neck of grassy land connecting the Bhut Kot range with the 

 Eiree Deo Hills (Thoee Deo of the map) to the south. The path lies 

 amongst the fields, and is not good. On each side the woody moun- 

 tains rise in a thousand picturesque forms ; in one of the southern 

 glens, near a village called Chinoulee, amongst extensive groves of 

 cedar, is the shrine of the rural deity, Chetr Pal — the Protector of the 

 fields. Towards the end of the stage, the great rounded summit of 

 Doonagiri appears right ahead, to the west, and from Lodh itself, and 

 the hills to the south, there is a good view of the craggy ridge of Bhot 

 Kot, stretching from N. W. to N. N. W. and north ; called three coss, 

 about 5 miles, distant ; 4040 feet above the village, the elevation of 

 which is 5180 feet above Calcutta. 



Lodh is but a small village, a little way down the eastern side of the 

 neck above referred to, which divides the pergunnah of Bora ke rao to 

 the east, from that of Kyra ke row to the west. On the grassy sum- 

 mit of the col are some erect stones, resembling those in the Druidical 

 circles ; the western declivity of this neck is steep ; at its base flows the 

 Dhoulee river, which issues by a tremendous gorge from the great 

 southern glen of Bhot Kot, and pursues its way to the west to join the 

 Gugas, the easternmost affluent of the Ramgunga. 



The people of Lodh possess considerable numbers of cows and 

 buffaloes, but do not visit the Bhabur. Amongst the fields, I noticed 

 the cotton plant cultivated to a considerable extent. From its open 

 site, the village enjoys more and cooler air than Someshwur ; but the 

 flies were equally countless and tormenting. 



\0th May. — To the summit of Bhot Kot and back again. The 

 atmosphere was hazy as we ascended, and we had scarce breakfasted 

 on the summit, before the clouds began to collect in the N. W. and 

 thoroughly closed the view, which must be one of the grandest in 

 Kumaoon. Thermometer at noon on the summit 72°, in the shade ; 

 2\ hours after, the storm burst heavily, thunder, lightning, rain, wind, 

 and very large and copious hail, under the auspicies of which we effect- 

 ed the descent : the rain continuing till 7 p. m. 



The ascent lies north from Lodh, along the brink of the precipitous 

 gorge of the Dhoulee ; we ultimately descended 300 or 400 feet to this 

 stream, and crossed it, beyond which there is no vestige of a path ; but 



