SURVEY OF THE GANGES. ■ 459- 



wkh a trident. This we had not an opportunity of visiting, nor did we see 

 Satya Cund, a sacred place, about half a mile to the west of our camp. 



At the foot of the pass leading from H^r-ca-Pa/ri, is diGurclidli Chokl 

 or post, to which slaves are brought down from the hills, and exposed 

 for sale. Many hundreds of these poor wretches, of both sexes, from 

 three to thirty years of age, are annually disposed of in the way of traliic. 



Those slaves are brought down, from all parts of the interior of the 

 hills, and sold at Haridwdr, from ten to one hundred and fifty rupees. 



The shew of cattle, this year, was ver)'' inferior to what might have been? 

 expe6ted; and the great demand, both on the part of the Company and of: 

 individuals, raised the prices very considerably. The average price of i 

 the camels from the Penjah was seventy-five rupees ; and a common horse 

 .was not to be purchased under two hundered and fifty, or three hundered; 

 rupees. There were very few of the Persian^ or high northern breed ; 

 the prevailing casts were xheTurki, and the cross breed of Turki and Td- 

 zi. A singular mode of condu6l'ing bargains obtains here; which^ how- 

 ever, is not uncommon in other parts of Indiai The merchants neverr 

 mention vivd voce, the prices they have fixed on their cattle, but thet 

 agreement is carried on by the finger, and a cloth is thrown over the- 

 hands, to prevent the by-standers from gaining, any information. The fol- 

 lowing is the key to this secret language, which is very simple, though 

 expressive. Each finger, under the term of Di/^^/i, implies one rupee, 

 of Dohrah Ddnah two rupees. Thus, by taking hold of three of the 

 merchant's fingers, and making use of the first term it would imply 

 three and of the second term six rupe<is. Sut ov Sutiii means twenty 

 rupees, and each finger, under that term, bears that value. So, or 

 hundreds, are expre'^sed iu the same manner; audit is only necessa- 



