OF KAMAON. 29 



property, either through grants or purchases, a view of the amount of 

 their rents will not be irrelevant. 



Kanch. Masa. Rati. 



Juwar, 398 5 6 



Darma, 42 7 



Dumola. 



Niti, 125 



This last sum is exclusive of the rents of Joshimath and other vil- 

 lages assigned to Badarinath, but which form a part of the district of 

 Paenkhanda, in which the Niti pass is also included ; the latter name, 

 from being more generally known, has been here adopted. 



Mutual convenience naturally led to the commutation of the original 

 article of tribute. The equivalent in silver, was settled at twelve rupees the 

 " Kanch,'" and a fixed and permanent valuation was made of various com- 

 modities, the produce of Tibet, or of Shot, which were received in payment : 

 as the market prices of these articles fell below the rates in the original 

 schedule, it became the object of the Bhotias to extend their payments in 

 them : the proportion was, ultimately, established at one-half in kind, and 

 the rest in coin ; and in the event of the Bhotias being required to pay 

 the whole of their assessment in money, a deduction of twenty-five per 

 cent, was allowed on the portion payable in merchandize, such being, in 

 point of fact, the actual depreciation in the current prices from the rates 

 fixed in the original appraisement. During the government of the Rajas, 

 the public demand continued unaltered, though subject in its liquidation to 

 the variations, arising from the depreciation above noticed. The greater 

 part of the revenue was assigned to the garrisons of forts in the mouths 

 of the ghats, and to the payment of the civil local functionaries. The 

 residue was collected on the spot, by an Officer annually deputed from 



i the 



