W2 STATISTICAL SKJ^TCH 



military road of communication extending from Nipal, and was regularly 

 measured and marked off with coss stones : the construction v/as left to the 

 Zemindars of the nearest villages, and therefore little more was done than re- 

 pairing the existing path: it is, in consequence, not superior to the common 

 cross paths of the province. The heaviness of the autumnal rains within the 

 liills, must ever have rendered it difficult to keep any kind of road in tolerable 

 repair, as at that season clefts in the sides of the mountain frequently take 

 place. Military roads of communication have been formed under the British 

 government, from the plains to the posts of Almora and Petoragerh, through 

 the ghats of Bhamouri and Birmdeo. The latter road passes through the 

 Cantonment of LoM ghat, while a further new road connects that post with 

 Almora. All these roads are practicable throughout for beasts of burthen. 

 A commercial road from the plains through the Dhikuli pass, has also been 

 commenced. 



The rapidity of the mountain rivers offers great impediment to com- 

 munication and intercourse, more particularly during the rainy season, when 

 (in the absence of bridges,) the traveller, his baggage and cattle can only be 

 crossed over the large rivers by the assistance of the ghat people, who 

 swim supported on gourds. The bridges are of four kinds : the first, 

 consists of a single spar thrown across from bank to bank ; the second, 

 is formed of successive layers of timbers, the upper gradually pro- 

 jecting beyond the lower from either bank towards each other, in the 

 form^of an arch, until the interval in the centre be sufficiently reducfed to 

 admit of a single timber being thrown across the upper layers, the ends of the 

 projecting timbers being secured in the stone piers ; these bridges, which are 

 called Sangas, are usually from two to three timbers wide, and have 

 sometimes a railing on each side. The third description of bridges, 

 called the Jhula, is constructed of ropes; two sets of cables being 

 stretched across the river, and the ends secured in the banks, the road- 



