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
The chief of Yumila was a Rajput, and he was long acknowledged as the
supreme lord or king over all the mountain chiefs towards the west; at
least, as all my informants from that quarter declared, and they extended
his authority to the east also; but this was entirely denied by
Hariballabh, and in these parts his information is more to be trusted
than that of the others. We may safely, however, conclude, that his
superiority was acknowledged everywhere between the Kali river and Nepal.
His authority, however, was still more limited than that of the late
Cæsars of Germany, his subjects frequently levying war, not only against
each other, but against their sovereign; nor was there any assembly of
states from which he could obtain assistance against a common enemy. His
power probably resembled that possessed by those who were called the
sovereign kings of India, before the Muhammedan conquest, and consisted
in three privileges. Each chief sent him an annual embassy, with
presents; he bestowed the mark of royalty (Tika) on each heir, when he
succeeded; and he had a right to interfere in keeping the stronger from
overrunning the weaker; and to exhort all chiefs to preserve the balance
of power. Except persuasion, however, no means seem to have existed to
enforce co-operation. Still, however, the evident common benefit of such
a power seems long to have given it some effect; although, in the
struggle for universal dominion by the chiefs of Gorkha, it never seems
on any one occasion to have been employed.
Etawargiri is a merchant nominally dedicated to religion, (Atithi,) who
was born at Chhinachhin, and who still adheres to the Raja. He left the
country when very young, but has since made three journeys thither to
purchase horses, there being at the place several merchants of this
order, who deal to a considerable amount. They carry up metals, spices,
and cloths; and bring down cow tails, salt, horses, a woollen cloth
called Pheruya, medicinal herbs, musk, etc.
Etawargiri, setting out from Tulasipur, in the dominions of the Vazir,
crossed the Bheri, and proceeded through Jajarkot, the territory of which
reaches within three coses of Chhinachhin; but from Jajarkot to the
boundary took him nine days over a hilly country. At the boundary he
entered a fine plain cut with deep ravines, like that of Nepal, but well
cultivated. It is said to extend eight coses from north to south, and
fifteen from east to west. It is cultivated by the plough drawn by oxen,
and produces much wheat, barley, _phaphar_, and _uya_; with some _urid_,
peas, lentiles, and maize, and a little transplanted rice. Sugar-cane,
_kodo_, (_Paspalum frumentaceum_, Roxb.) and _chana_, (_Cicer arietinum_,
Lin.) will not grow there, for there is snow in winter. In this level
part of the country, each ploughgate of land is said to pay ten rupees
a-year; but in the high poor parts of Yumila, one rupee is the rent.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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