Page:The Imperial Gazetteer of India - Volume 10 (2nd edition).pdf/293

Rh ﻿at an elevation of about 14,000 feet above sea-level. Another route, also starting from Khatmandu, follows the main eastern stream of the Gandak, crosses the frontier near the station of Kirang (9000 feet), and ultimately reaches the Sanpu river at Tadam. This was the path adopted by Captain Montgomerie's native explorer in 1866. Both these routes are extremely difficult. The only beasts of burthen available are sheep and goats; and practically everything but grain and salt is carried by men and women. The principal imports from Tibet are pashmina or shawl wool, coarse woollen cloth, salt, borax, musk, yák-tails or chauris, yellow arsenic, quick-silver, gold-dust, antimony, manjít or madder, charas (an intoxicating preparation of hemp), various medicinal drugs and dried fruits. The majority of these articles pass through Nepál on their way to British territory. The exports into Tibet from Nepál include metal utensils of copper, bell-metal, and iron, manufactured by the Newars; European piece-goods and hardware, Indian cotton goods, spices, tobacco, areca-nut and betel-leaf, metals, and precious stones.

The trade with India is conducted at various marts along the frontier line of 700 miles. The commercial policy of the Nepál Government, which is based on the requirements of the State treasury rather than on the principle of protection, subjects most articles of export and import to the payment of duty, which is heavy in the case of luxuries, and lighter in the case of necessaries. At every mart and on every trade route a toll station is established; and the tolls are sometimes let by auction to a thikádár or farmer. A few articles, such as timber, ivory, copper pice, salt, cardamoms, and tobacco, are Government monopolies, which are usually granted to persons in favour at court. Trade in all other articles is free, subject to the payment of duties both on export and import. These duties differ greatly at different places; but the local tariff is always well known to the parties concerned, and is said to be not oppressively varied. On the main route to Khatmandu, duties are levied according to an ad valorem percentage on certain articles. But the more common system is to charge a certain sum by weight, by load, or by number, according to the character of the goods.

The principal route for through traffic is that which runs through the British District of Champáran, with Khatmandu and Patná for its two points of terminus. Starting from the military cantonment of Segauli, this route crosses the frontier near Ráksúl, and then proceeds through Samrabasa, Hataura, Bhimphedi, and Thánkot to Khatmandu; the total length being about 92 miles. Within British territory there is a good fair-weather road, which was much improved as a relief work during the scarcity of 1873-74; and still more recently Segauli has been put into railway communication with the rest of India. Beyond