■ OF KAMAON. I93 



instrument is composed of iron, and filled with whisky distilled from rice, 

 and when used it is placed on a brazier of burning charcoal. 



The traffic of the province is divided into two branches : first, the sale of 

 the produce of the hills, and secondly, the carrying trade with Tartary : this 

 latter again passes through two hands, the Bhoteas, who hold direct inter- 

 course with the Tartars, and the hill traders, who furnish returns and receive 

 the Tartar merchandize in barter : the nature of the former of these transac- 

 tions will be reserved for a separate article. The migratory habits of the 

 Zemindars of the southern pergunnas, have given rise to a .very general diffu- 

 sion of commercial enterprise among them, and every individual possessed 

 of a small capital, either singly or jointly with others, engages in traffic. 

 With an investment composed of iron, copper, ginger, turmeric and other 

 hill roots and drugs, the adventurer proceeds to the nearest mart in the 

 plains, and there receives in barter for his merchandize, coarse chintz, cotton 

 cloths, gur, tobacco, colored glass beads and hardware, which return, after 

 supplying the wants of himself and friends, is disposed of at the villages in 

 the midland and northern pergunnas, or is reserved for sale till a fair occurs 

 in the neighbourhood. Those, again, whose credit or resources are more con- 

 siderable, enter eagerly into the Tartar trade. The imports from the plains 

 are, in tliis case, the same as above enumerated, as fine manufactures or expen- 

 sive articles are only brought up when previously bespoke ; from the Bhoteas 

 they receive in exchange, partly cash and partly Tartar and Bhote 

 productions. The latter comprise hawks, musk, pankhis, (coarse camlets) 

 wax, masi (frankincense) kutki, and a variety of other roots and drugs. 

 The Tartar products consist of borax, salt, gold-dust, and ckawr tails. 

 The zeal and industry evinced by this class of traders, in the execution 

 of commissions, is very great, as they frequently proceed in person as 

 far as Furrudmbad and Lucknow^ in search of the articles required from 

 them. 



2 B 



