OP KAMAON. 141 



It is by the beds of the rivers that access into this province from 

 the plains on the south, and from the table land of Tartary on the north, is 

 afforded, and the frequented passes into the hills from these points, v/ill always 

 be found to follow, in the first instance, the opening formed by the course of 

 some river, and those ghats which have no facilities of this nature are inva- 

 riably difficult, and rarely available for commercial intercourse. 



The passes through the Himalaya, are Mana, Niti, Jowar, Darnia, and 

 Byani, which will be hereafter described when treating of Bhote ; the principal 

 ghats of the plains frequented by trade, are Bilasni, Bhori, Sigdhi^ CJioki^ 

 Kotdwara, Palpiir, Babli, and Kangra, in GerJmal ; Dhikuli, Kottty Bham- 

 ouri, Timlif Birmdeo, in Kamaon. 



Besides these, there are many Chor ghats leading to individual villages, 

 and seldom travelled except by the neighbouring inhabitants. 



The roads of communication throughout the province, consist mere- 

 ly of narrow foot paths, which are only partially practicable for laden cattle, 

 while rocky precipices frequently present themselves, which are scarcely 

 passable for cattle in any state. These paths, from the nature of the country, 

 are seldom direct, but wind along the faces of the mountains or pass over 

 them, according as facilities of ascent and descent are afforded. No attempt 

 would appear to have been ever made by former governments to facilitate 

 commercial intercourse by the construction of roads calculated for beasts of 

 burthen : fragments of old roads are to be met with leading to some of the 

 principal temples, but as they always proceed directly up the steepest accli- 

 vities by means of flights of stone steps, they could only have been intended for 

 foot passengers. A road was also made under the Gorkha government through 

 the centre of the province from the Kali, or Gogra, to the Alakananda, and 

 passing through Almora to Srinagar, which formed the continuation of a 



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