An Account of The Kingdom of Nepal: And of the Territories Annexed to this Dominion by the House of GorkhaHamilton, Francis
History
An Account of The Kingdom of Nepal: And of the Territories Annexed to this Dominion by the House of Gorkha
Hamilton, Francis
Nepal -- Description and travel; Nepal -- History
13. To Hedang, the route being on low hills by the west side of the
Arun. West from Hedang two days journey, is Meyangma, a snowy mountain,
and at the same distance east is another named Mirgu.
14. To Komba, a village of Bhotiyas, at a distance from the Arun, and
formerly at least the residence of a Lama, who was supposed to be an
incarnation of God.
15. To Chamtang, another village inhabited by Bhotiyas, and at a
distance from the Arun.
16. To Seksula, or Seksura, on the Arun. Some accounts place it on one
side, and some on the other of the Arun. It is a village of Bhotiyas,
and part may be on each side of the river, which is crossed on a bridge
of rattans.
17 and 18 to Pokang. The country is not very hilly, but so high and
cold, that it is frequented only in summer by shepherds and traders who
attend the mart.
From Seksula, proceeding on the west side of the Arun, you have,
17. Hatiya, a Bhotiya village, where there is a mart.
18. Chipachintang, another Bhotiya village belonging to Gorkha. A
little way beyond it is Manigumba, a village subject to Lasa.
The Arun here would seem to pass through the highest ridge of the snowy
mountains. The Kirat, who gave me the map of the eastern parts of the
principality, names the portion of these mountains towards the east
Papti, and says, that between it and Mirgu, mentioned above, there is a
large valley; but, except near the Arun, it has no regular inhabitants.
In summer it is frequented by shepherds alone; but he would not appear to
have been acquainted with its eastern parts; for, though he admits that
the Tambar rises from Papti, and afterwards passes through Mirgu, he knew
nothing of the Gola that is there, and is called Alangchang. South from
Mirgu is another high ridge; but the snow that occasionally falls on it
in winter soon melts. The Kirat calls it Ichhanglima; I have no doubt
that it is the Phakphok of the map made by the slave; for the Kirat says,
that the Kankayi rises from Mirgu, and passes through a gap in
Ichhanglima. The slave in his map says that Phakphok is the proper
source of the Kankayi, but admits, that it receives a stream from the
snowy mountains. The Kirat alleged that the hollow between Mirgu and
Ichhanglima is overgrown with immense forests occupied by elephants and
rhinoceroses, which is scarcely reconcilable with its necessary
elevation; and the compiler of the other map represents it as a well
inhabited country, which is the most probable account, as the Kirat had
not visited that part.
On the west side of the Arun, again, the Kirat places Syamphelang as the
highest ridge of snowy mountains, and he seemed to think, that the very
highest peak visible, and bearing about N. by W. from Nathpur, was part
of this mountain connected with this, but leaving between them the valley
watered by the Tarun, is another snowy mountain, which the Kirat calls
Meyangma, but which the slave who constructed the map calls Salpa pahar.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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