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
Loaded canoes, I am assured, can pass up the Gandaki, or Narayani, all
the way to Rerighat, except at a narrow rapid between two rocks at a
place called Gongkur, a little above Dewghat. There they must be
unloaded and dragged up empty. Timber in floating down this passage is
apt to fall across the channel, and to stick between the rocks; but this
may be obviated by tying a rope to one end of the logs so as to allow
them to float end on. Canoes can ascend to Dewghat with little
difficulty. There are, indeed, three rapids; one above Bhelaunji to
which large boats can go with ease; a second at the junction of the
Arhung; and a third at Khairiyani, near Dewghat; but in the dry season
canoes or small boats may be dragged up loaded. In floods the navigation
is altogether unadvisable, the river being then of tremendous rapidity.
Near Tansen, the present capital, there was formerly a mine of iron, but,
since the conquest, copper has been discovered in the same place, and
now, it is said, the mine produces that metal to the value of 50,000
rupees a-year. In the small territory of Khidim lately, as I have said,
annexed to Palpa, is a mine of lead.
I received very little information concerning the Tanahung branch of this
family. It is said to be descended of Bihangga, or Bhringga, son of
Makunda Sen, who lived ten or eleven generations ago. After some
generations the then chief of Tanahung, it is said, gave Rising as an
appanage to a younger brother, although, as I shall afterwards state,
there may be some doubt entertained on this point. Afterwards, on the
failure of the Champaranya, or Rajpur branch of this colony from Chitaur,
the then Raja of Tanahung secured a part called Ramnagar, which is
situated in the district of Saran, under the protection of the Company,
and is now all that belongs to the family. No chief resisted with such
gallantry and effect the rising power of Prithwi Narayan of Gorkha as the
Raja of Tanahung, by whom the forces of that perfidious prince were
defeated in a most decisive battle; nor was any attempt afterwards made
to extend the dominions of Gorkha to the west until the Raja of Palpa was
gained, as I have already mentioned. How the overthrow of Tanahung took
place I have not learned; but the Raja made his escape to Ramnagar, and
retains only what he held of the Company. His country, that was formerly
independent, consists of two portions; one on the hills that surround
Gorkha on the west and south, and one in the valley of the Raputi, which
is adjacent to the southern portion of what is on the hills. This valley
is inhabited by the ordinary Hindus of Mithila. It contains three
Pergunahs or baronies, Chitan, Belan, and Sengjhayat, of which the two
former contain a good deal of cultivation. The road through them along
the Raputi to Hethaura is tolerably level, and might be easily made good;
while I understand that from Ramnagar by Bakraghat there is a pretty good
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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