443 



21ie Valley of Nepaul. 



[Oct. 



by innumerable streams, and blessed with a healthy climate and 

 a fruitful soil. The capital of Nepaul is placed by Buchanan in 

 north latitude 27° 42', and east longitude 85° 36', the mean 

 elevation of the valley is reckoned at 4,782 feet above the plains 

 of Bengal, and the heights of its surrounding mountains by baro- 

 metrical measurement are; as follows.* Mahadeo Poker, or the high- 

 est peak of the eastern boundary, 6,786 feet ; Jaber Powah, the north- 

 east boundary, 5,716 ; Sheopooree, or the highest peak of the northern 

 boundary, not known ; Colonel Powah, on the nort-west corner, €,654 ; 

 €handragiree, or the southern boundary, 6,600; and Phoolchoke, 

 bounding the south-east corner, 6,800. These circumstances exercise 

 such a powerful influence over the produce of the soil, as regulators 

 of climate, that they will not, I presume, be deemed out of place as pre- 

 fatory observations. The mean annual temperature of the valley is 

 64 . The population of this area was estimated by Mr. Hodgson, in 

 1832, at no less than 2,90,000 souls, which allowing 400 square miles 

 as its inhabited extent, gives the extraordinarily large number of 725 

 to the square mile : a proportion so far as I am aware, not known to 

 exist in any country of the world, and one which I believe Mr. Hodg- 

 son is willing to allow to have been rather exaggerated even for the 

 valley of Nepaul. It is however certain that this valley teems with 

 human beings, its whole surface being sprinkled with towns, villagesi 

 and insulated dwellings. No portion of India with which I am ac- 

 quainted can be compared to the valley of Nepaul in density of popu- 

 lation, and it is not improbable that after the most correct estimate 

 shall have been obtained, it will shew a population, compared with its 

 area, equal in extent to that of any country in civilized Europe. Al- 

 lowing the utmost possible extent of area to the valley within its 

 mountainous boundaries, we could not assume more than 30 miles in 

 length, and as much in breadth,! as its dimensions, or 900 square 

 miles ; and at this exaggerated rate, we should still have, by Mr* 

 Hodgson's estimate, a population of 322 and a fraction to the 

 square mile. In East Flanders, as containing the maximum rate 

 of all Europe, a recent census gives 560 souls to the square mile. In 

 the most populous parts of Ireland the greatest proportion to the 

 square mile is 345 souls. In Berkshire in 1831 it was only 193 to the 



* Captain Robinson is the author of the observations which give these measurements. 



+ These are the limits assumed by me taking in the sub- valleys around the big one.— 

 B. H. H, 



