Page:Encyclopædia Britannica, Ninth Edition, v. 17.djvu/356

Rh 342 NEPAL like manner the collected rivers have escaped at the south east corner of the valley. The former fissure, at Chowbahal, is said to have been made by Vishnu, and the latter by Bodhisatwa Manjusri. The surface of the valley consists of a series of table lands (tars) and wide beds of streams (kholas), with here and there a few well-wooded knolls, generally surmounted by temples. There are three principal streams, the Bagmati, Vishnu- mati, and Manohra, besides many small tributaries of these. All the rivers rise within the valley, except the Bag mati, which springs from the northern side of the Seopuri peak, and enters the valley through a ravine at the north east corner. They all unite and pass through a long narrow gorge in the limestone range, already mentioned, at Chowbahal, and ultimately escape from the valley at Kotwaldar. There are three large towns, Kathmandu, the capital, with some 50,000 inhabitants, Patan with about 30,000, and Bhatgaon with 30,000 also. The houses are from two to four stories in height, built of brick, and tiled. The windows and balconies are of wood, and are elaborately carved. There are numerous handsome temples in all the towns, the majority of which are pagoda-shaped and built of brick, with roofs of copper, which is sometimes gilt. The streets are narrow, and they, as well as the squares, are all paved with brick or stone. In front of the temples generally stand monoliths surmounted by figures of Garur, or of the founder, made of brass gilt, or sometimes of black stone. Besides these three large towns, there are at least twenty smaller towns, and numerous villages, all of which possess many temples. Some of these, as for instance those of Pashupati, Bodh- natha, and Symbhunatha, are considered of great sanctity. Many thousands of pilgrims come at one festival to worship at Pashupati, and it is there that the dying are brought to be immersed in the Bagmati, the dead are burned, and satis are immolated. Climate. In Nepal, as in India, the year may be divided into the rainy, cold, and hot seasons. The rains begin in June and last till October, but the fall is not so heavy or continuous as in the plains of Hindustan. The cold season extends from the middle of October to the middle of April. During these months the climate is delicious. Hoar-frost and thin ice are common in the mornings, and the thermometer sometimes falls as low as 25 Fahr. , but the days are bright and warm. From Christmas to the end of February there are occasional showers of rain ; and snow falls on the sur rounding low ranges, but is very rarely seen in the valley itself. From April to the beginning of the rains is the hot season, but the thermometer seldom reaches 85 in the shade. The result of observations extending over many years gives an average mean temperature of 60 Fahr., and an annual rainfall of about 60 inches. Violent thunderstorms are not uncommon, and occasionally severe earthquakes occur, as in 1833 and 1866, on the former of which occasions there were great destruction of houses and loss of life in all the large towns. Priests. Where temples are so numerous (there are 2733 shrines in the valley) priests naturally abound, both of the Hindu and Buddhist religions. The festivals too are many in number, and in conse quence holidays are incessant. The raj guru, or high priest, is an influential person in the state, a member of council, and has a large income from Government lands as well as from the fines for offences against caste, &c. Many other priests, gurus andpurohits, have lands assigned to them, and most of the temples have been richly endowed by their founders. Every family of rank has a special priest, whose office is hereditary. Astro- Astrologers are also numerous, and their services are in constant logers. request. One cannot build a house, set out on a journey, com mence a war, or even take a dose of physic, without having an auspicious moment selected for him. Baids. All families of good position have at least one baid, or medical man, in constant attendance, and there are also many general practitioners. There are no hospitals nor dispensaries, except the small one attached to the British residency, which is much fre- Diaeases. quented by the poor. The diseases most prevalent in the country are rheumatism, chronic dyspepsia, skin diseases, syphilis, goitre, and leprosy. In the rains a number of cases of mild intermittent fever, diarrhcea, and dysentery are met with. Fever of a severe typhoid type is common in the crowded lanes and dirty villages ; and cholera, when it does break out, commits fearful ravages. Smallpox is almost always present, in consequence of inoculation being greatly resorted to by the Parbatiyas, whilst the Newars neither vaccinate nor inoculate. Of late years vaccination has been considerably practised by the residency surgeons, especially among the Bhotiyas and the children of the higher ranks. Much attention is devoted by the Gorkhalis to military matters, Army, and the bulk of that race may be said to be soldiers. The standing army consists of about 16,000 men, divided into twenty-six regiments of infantry and two regiments of artillery. Besides this force there is a reserve, consisting of men who have served for a few years and taken their discharge, but who in case of necessity can be called on again to enter the ranks. The regiments are formed on the European system, and similarly drilled and officered. The arms are various, from the old flint musket to the most modern breech- loading rifle. Each man also carries a bayonet and a kukhri or native knife. The followers of some of the petty hill rajas are still armed with khoras (heavy curved swords) and bows and arrows. The cavalry is on a very small scale, consisting of only about one hundred men, as the country is not suited for horse exercise. The artillery, however, is on a larger scale, consisting of two regiments ; and there is also an attempt at horse artillery. Of late years four mountain batteries drawn by mules have been established. There is a large arsenal well provided with supplies of gunpowder and military stores. There are extensive workshops too, where cannon are cast, and rifles and ammunition of all sorts turned out in large quantities. In the last war with Tibet, in 1854, when the resources of the country were strained to the utmost, the field force consisted of 27,000 men, with 29,000 partially armed coolies and camp followers, and 390,000 unarmed baggage coolies. About 7000 fighting men only were left to garrison the country. While the Gorkhalis are occupied in military affairs, the agricul- Agricul ture of the valley is carried on by the Newars. The soil is varied ture. in character, from light micaceous sand to dense ferruginous clay. The whole valley is cultivated and irrigated where practicable, and the slopes of the hills are carefully terraced, so that there is little grazing ground, and few sheep or cattle are kept. There are some milch cows and buffaloes, which are either stall-fed or grazed in the jungles at the foot of the hills. Animals for consumption and sacri fice are all imported, and are consumed as fast as they are brought in. In the cold season the Bhotiyas bring large flocks of sheep and goats laden with bags of borax, salt, and saltpetre. These are sold for consumption, except a few that are retained to carry back the bags. These droves are generally accompanied by ponies and some of the large Tibetan dogs. These dogs are powerful, fierce, shaggy animals, about the size of a small Newfoundland dog. Poultry are kept and used by the Newars, especially ducks, the eggs of which are in great demand even among the orthodox Hindus. The crops grown in the valley consist of rice, both the transplanted and the dry-sown orgyah varieties, wheat, pulse, murwah, maize, buck wheat, chillies, radishes, mustard, garlic, onions, ginger, turmeric, sugar-cane, potatoes, ground nuts, many species of cucumbers and pumpkins, &c. Space will not allow a description to be given of the modes of cultivating these. Nothing but articles of food is allowed to be grown in the valley ; hence its capabilities for pro ducing tea, cotton, and tobacco are unknown. All of these, how ever, are grown in other districts, both in the hills and the terai. Large cardamoms are extensively grown at the base of the hills, and form an important article of export. The hemp plant (Cannabis iiulica) grows wild, and is used both for manufactur ing purposes and for producing the resinous extract and other intoxicating products which are exported. Plants producing dyes, such as madder or manjit, are grown in some places ; and drugs, such as chirata and atees, are collected and exported. The better class of soils yields a return of about Rs. 180 per khait, and the poorest about Us. 90 per khait. From some of the finer soils as many as three crops of various sorts are obtained annually. The land-measui es in use are the jana = 75 square yards, 4 janas*= 1 ropni, 25 ropnis = l khait, or 7500 square yards. The Newars are also fond of horticulture. Many European Horti- fruits, flowers, and vegetables have been introduced during the last culture, fifty years, and grow freely. The country is famous for its oranges and pine-apples. Flowers are grown and sold for religious purposes, and even wild flowers are brought into the market and much used by the Newar women in adorning their hair, as well as for offerings at the shrines. Many wild fruits are collected and sold in the markets. Apples and pears, of English stock, thrive well ; apricots and plums are good ; peaches and grapes grow freely and are of large size, but they seldom ripen before the rains begin, when they rot. All the trade and manufactures of the country are in the hands Trade, of the Newars, and a few Kashmiris and natives of Hindustan. The trade in European goods is chiefly carried on by the latter, whilst the Newars deal in corn, oil, salt, tobacco, and articles of domestic manufacture. The trade with India is carried on at