SURVEY OF THE GANGES. b05 



and expelled here, that a civil commotion is now on foot, and will shew 

 itself openly in a short time. 



On taking a view of Snnagar from a height, it has the appearance of a 

 double valley ; one situated on a level with the river, the other on its 

 banks, elevated about forty or fifty feet, and extending, along the base of 

 the mountain. The lower one, in which the city stands, has apparently 

 been formed by the receding of the Alacanandd from the south shore ; 

 and, although the period be too remote to ascertain the fact, the appear- 

 ance of the ridge, or bank, marking the concavity, would incline one to 

 suppose that such has been the case °» and that,.in its present progressive 

 jnclinationj it is gradually returning: to its former channel. From the 

 bottom of the upper valky^, tO'ihe city, is a space of three or four far- 

 longs, laid out in small fields and fenelosureSj with a few mango trees, thinly 

 scattered among them. Opposite to the city, the Alacanandd divides 

 into two or three streams, which reunite about one mile below. On one 

 pftlie small islands, are the ruins-of buildings jWhich^w^re formerly con- 

 Reeled with the city. The aspe^ of the surrounding mountains is very 

 barren ; here and there a solitary tree may be seen ; but the general fea~ 

 tures betray a rocky and unfriendly soil ; and the little vegetation that is 

 produced on them, is soon parched up and dried. On the opposite side of 

 the river, several hamlets are seen, situated along the foot of the hills, 

 with which a communication is open, by a Jhi'dd to the W. and a ferry 

 boat to the E. of the city. One of the largest of these villages is calk-d 

 JJUdni Hdti , containing a temple sacred to Raja Iswara, at whose shrine 

 some rites are performed, in imitation of the mysteries observed in the 

 temple of the C')'/)nj« goddess. It is inhabited cliiefly by dancing wo- 

 men ; and the ceremony of initiation to this society consists in anointing 



