638 Route from Kiithmdndu to Darjeling. [Dec. 



\Oth Stage to Hdchika, East, 6 cos. 

 After half a cos of descent we arrived at Thotnia Khola, a hill torrent 

 which joins the Dud Cosi about 3 miles ahead. Proceeded down the 

 rugged stony glen of the Thotnia to the junction, which is reached at 

 Rasua, ghat. Thence down the right bank of the Dud Cosi for 2 cos 

 to Katahar Biasi, where the river, which had thus far run through a 

 narrow glen incumbered with boulders, has a wider space on either bank, 

 capable of cultivation and yielding fine crops of wet rice, but hot and 

 malarious. This sort of tract is what is called in the Parbatia language 

 a Biasi. Katahar Biasi belongs to brahmans, who dwell on the heights 

 above. The road leads down the Biasi, which is above half a cos wide, 

 for more than one cos, and then ascends the ridge of Kuvindia for one 

 cos to the halting place or Hachika, which is a village inhabited by 

 Kirantis, whose country of Kirant is bounded on the west by the Dud 

 Cosi, and begins on this route where the Dhanswar estate ends. The 

 Arun is the eastern boundary of Kirant. The Dud Cosi is the fourth 

 great feeder of the Maha Cosi, which latter enters the plains as one river 

 at Varaha Kshetra above Nathpur in Purneah. We have already passed 

 three of these great tributaries or the Sun Cosi, the Tamba Cosi, and the 

 Likhu Cosi. The remaining ones are three, or the Arun Cosi, Bar tin 

 Cosi and Tamor Cosi.* Thus there are seven in all : and eastern Nepal, 

 or the country between the great valley and Sikim, is called Sapt Cousika, 

 or region of the seven Cosis, from being watered by these seven great 

 tributaries of the Maha, Cosi. Kirant and Limbuan are subdivisions of 

 the Sapt Cousika, so called from the tribes respectively inhabiting them ; 

 the Kirantis dwelling from the Dud Cosi to the Arun ; and the Limbus 

 from the Arun to the Tamor. The country between the great valley 

 and the Dud Cosi is not so especially designated after the tribes inha- 

 biting it. But the Ne'wars and Murmis of Nepal proper are the chief 

 races dwelling there. Of all these tribes the Newars are by much the 

 most advanced in civilization. They have letters and literature, and are 

 well skilled in the useful and fine arts. Their agriculture is unrivalled ; 

 their towns, temples and images of the gods, are beautiful for materials 

 and workmanship ; and they are a steady, industrious people equally 

 skilled in handicrafts, commerce and the culture of the earth. The 

 rest of the highland tribes or people are fickle, lazy races, who have no 

 * See Memorandum at the end of the Itinerary and annexed Sketch. 



