476 Boute of two Nepalese Embassies to Pekin. [No. 6. 



at the several times of those missions, and quite independently 

 of each other, the statements of one may be used to correct and 

 explain those of the other ; and that, where discrepancies occur, 

 the longer paper, which is complete in its details, is probably, on the 

 whole, more correct than the one which is not complete in its 

 details, though I confess a strong leaning to the Chountra state- 

 ment, because of its sound discrimination of interesting facts. 



2nd. That the assigned distances, though not measured, but com- 

 puted, yet, having a double basis of computation* by marching 

 time under given assigned circumstances, and by kos according also 

 to a given standard in use in Nepal, ought, I should think, to be 

 capable of very definite determination in competent hands. 



3rd. That both papers are literal translations, and that the addi- 

 tional information procured by myself and embodied for conve- 

 nience in the documents, is carefully distinguished by the use of 

 brackets ; the rest of such information being thrown into foot notes. 



The Chountra's embassy, as I learnt before 1 left Kathmandu, 

 set out in 1817. That of the Kaji, in 1822, as appears on the face 

 of the document. Chountra and Kaji are titles of ministers of 

 state in Nepal. I proceed now to the substance of the documents, 

 and here, in imitation of my friends, I shall be as curt as possible, 

 and endeavour, in a few words, to bring together the most generally 

 interesting items of information furnished by the two papers. The 

 total distance from Kathmandu to Pekin, according to the Kaji, is 

 1268| kos ; accordiug to the Chountra, 1250 kos ; and in that space, 

 occur, according to the former authority, 106 mountain ranges which 

 are crossed ; according to the latter, 104. The Kaji's paper gives 

 us the further information, that 150 lakes and tanks occur in the 

 route ; 652 rivers,t crossed by 607 bridges and 23 ferries ; and lastly, 

 100 forts. 



It would be very desirable in dividing the whole space into the 



* I have heard, that the whole road is measured and marked by the Chinese, and 

 if so, the Nepalese could never be much out, the only thing required of them 

 being the conversion of li into kos. 



t Say rather, rivers and river-crossings, for the same mountain locked stream is 

 here and there crossed 20 or 30 times in a very moderate distance. When I pointed 

 out this at Kathmandu I got the explanation, and was referred to the crossings of 

 the Eaputi river between Hitounda and BhimpheJy on the road to Kathmandu 

 from the plains of India for a sample. 



