Page:The Imperial Gazetteer of India - Volume 2 (2nd edition).pdf/425

 BHUTAN. tea, spices, gold, assafoetida,

Assam being exchanged

madder,

and trade between Bhutan and oranges, musk, ponies,

The

the

for

silk,

415 erendi cloth, and dried fish of

woollens,

gold-dust,

walnuts,

salt,

In 1876-77, the entire British India was roughly estimated at

silk

of Bhutan.

^9100 into Assam and ;^i3oo into ^20,000 from Assam and _^,^iooo from Bengal. A considerable trade between Lh^ssa and Assam is carried on through the Towdng Bhutias, who are friendly, and occupy the southern slopes
 * ^3i,ooo.

Bengal



exports were

the imports,

of the Himalayas to the eastward of Bhutan proper, of which state they

Eastward of the Towangs are the Char Dwdr and

are independent.

Thibangia Bhutids, two small and well-behaved clans. The territory of the Towdng Bhutias extends to the river Kanta, that of the Chfir I) war Bhutias from the Kanta to the Ghaben river. In 1882-83, the total export trade from

Towdng and Bhutan Proper

into

India

British

through Assam amounted to ;^i 7,879, and the imports from India to ^12,131; total value of trade, ;^3 0,0 10. This shows a considerable decrease compared with the returns for the previous year,

when

1881-82,

and export trade with British India amounted to o,9o revenues of Bhutan are usually paid in articles of 6. The produce and merchandise. The military resources of the country are on an insignificant scale. Beyond the guards for the defence of the various castles, there is the total import
 * ^4

The total military force was estimated envoy in 1864 at 6000 men. The chief towns are Punakhd or Uosen, the capital, on the left bank of the Biigni river, and 96 miles e.n.e from Darjeeling; Tdsichozong, Paro, Angdaphorang, and Toungso on the road from Assam to Lhassa. d’he other towns are Wandipur, Ghdsd, and Murichom. Punakha is nothing like a standing army.

by the

British

a place of great natural strength. Meteorology.

— The

difference of elevation

climate

of

Bhutan

varies

according

to

the

the cold of Siberia, the heat of Africa, and the

warmth of Italy, may all be experienced in a day’s journey. At the time when the inhabitants of Punakha (the winter residence of pleasant

the Rajas) are afraid of exposing themselves to the blazing sun, those

of Ghdsa experience perpetual snows.

all the rigour of winter, and are chilled by Yet these places are within sight of each other.

The

rains descend in floods upon the heights, but in the vicinity of Tasichozong and Punakha they are moderate there are frequent showers, but nothing that can be compared to the tropical rains of

Bengal. terrible

Owing

to the great elevation

storms arise

among the

and steepness of the mountains,

hollows,

often

attended with

fatal

results.

—

Bhutan formerly belonged to a tribe called by the Bhutids History Tephu, generally believed to have been the Kochs of Kuch Behar. .