Page images
PDF
EPUB
[merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small]

1827-28,

BY

THE HON'BLE F. J. SHORE.

(The following Notes are the result of four years' residence in the Dehra Doon. The Report was originally compiled and submitted to Government in the beginning of 1827, additional observations were collected in the end of that year and in 1828, and are now incorporated with the original Report. Of the state of the valley since that time I have no means of knowing.]

NAME.

The word Doon, signifies valley. Little was known of it till the time of Aurungzebe. In the year 1756 Sumbut, i. e. about A. D. 1700, Gooroo Ram Roy, who resided at Kirtalpoor (20 koss this side of Amritsir) leaving his nephew there, went to Dillee and Agra to pay his respects to Aurungzebe; from thence he came here, and procuring a grant from the Rajah of Sreenugur for three villages, dug two tanks, brought a stream down an artificial canal from the hills, and built a temple at the village of Dhamoowălă, changing its name to Dehra (resting place); it is also called Gooroodwără (gate of the teacher).

DESCRIPTION AND BOUNDARIES.

2. The valley lies within the line of what are commonly called the Himaleyah Mountains, although that term, strictly speaking, should only be applied to the line of the snowy peaks, being separated from Suharapoore by a low range of hills, usually called the lower range; the crests of this range form the boundary on the south-west. On the northeast it is bounded by the independant part of Gurhwall,—the crests of what are denominated the second range, on which are situated the convalescent depôts of Mussooree and Ludour, form the limit of the Doon territory. On the north-west it is bounded by the Jumna, and on the south-east, strictly speaking, the boundary of the valley is the Ganges; but a small strip of land, varying from a quarter of a mile to five miles broad, on the other side of the river, between that and the hills, forming a part of the Purgunnah of Chandee, has since the acquisition of the valley by the British Government, been annexed to the Doon. The remaining part of the Chandee Purgunnah, divided from the former by a low range of hills, was separated from Mooradabad and annexed to the jurisdiction of the Doon last year: the Rowasun is now the boundary between these two districts,-a small stream, which enters the plains from the hills at Lal Dhang and joins the Ganges about 15 miles below Hurdwar: the length of the valley consequently lies from north-west to south-east. Hurdwar is situated in N. Lat. 29° 57' 16." E. Long. 78° 9' 4"-Dehra the Town in N. Lat. 30' 18' 51," E. Long. 78° 1' 69". The whole of the Chandee Purgunnah was formerly an appendage of the Doon, but about forty years ago the Nuwab of Lucknow, or the local Governor at Nujeebabad, it is not very clear which, sent up a force which took possession of the whole of the Purgunnah of Chandee, building a fort at Jogeewala ; consequently it was claimed by the English as an appendage to Rohilkund, when that province was ceded to us in 1801. After our acquisition of the Doon, Upper Chandee

B

was immediately annexed to the valley, and the remainder was so disposed of last year. The Doon Proper comprises five sub-divisions or Purgunnahs, viz., Kulianpoor, Suntoor, Busuntpoor, Deooree, and Suhujpoor. The parts near Hurdwar and Dehra are also distinguished respectively by the names of Lower and Upper Doon.

HORIZONTAL SUPERFICES.

3. The valley itself, including the upper part of Chandee, is in the longest part, i. c. from Hurdwar to the banks of the Jumna opposite Kalsee, 57 miles, and in the broadest part, i. e. the centre, 15 miles, road measurement, which, however, does not wind much. In straight measure it would average about 45 by 11 miles; this would give 495 square miles. Of this, streams may take up about 20; three insulated hills, the Nalapannee, Nuwada, and Zamunkhata about 30; (some little part of which, however, are cultivated, perhaps one square mile); ravines and broken ground about 50; cultivation about 25, and waste, but fit for cultivation, 360, of which two-thirds may be grass and one-third forest land. The lower range of hills is about fifty miles long by four broad, of which about two-fifths may belong to the Doon, for the line of crests is not in the centre; this would give 80 square miles. From the broken nature of the ground scarcely any part of this is fit for cultivation, but the whole range is covered with trees of various sorts, among which is some very fine timber. A fir, something like the coarse Scotch fir, is also found on these hills. To these must be added a part of what, strictly speaking, belongs from its situation to the hills, viz., a hill division not far from Dehra, opposite the Rajah's province of Sukniana, but which has always been annexed to the Doon. It comprizes about 60 square miles, and contains 70 villages, or rather petty hamlets, some of them not having more than one or two huts; the cultivation may probably amount to 24. We have yet to reckon the ascent of the hills of Mussoree, Budraj and Ludour, to the crests of which the boundaries of the Doon extended. This comprises about 80 square miles, of which probably 3 may be cultivated, between Bhogpoor and Rekikes; the foot of the hills form the boundary of the Dehra valley.

4. There are, however, in the latter part many spots, and some few on the lower range of hills, both together perhaps equal to 20 square miles, which are even now fit for cultivation, several more, which by levelling and terracing, as is done in the Kills, might be made so; and several other spots, and some even in that under the head of ravines and broken ground, calculated for the "keel" cultivation, hereafter described.

5. In addition to the whole of the above, must be reckoned the half of Purgunnah Chandee, transferred from Mooradabad to this jurisdiction last year. It is a small threecornered bit of land, containing about 35 square miles. It contains only 7 villages. About 1 square miles may be cultivated, and one-fourth unfit for cultivation. It is separated from Mooradabad by the stream Rowsun, and from Suharunpoor by the Ganges. It joins the Dehra Doon and the Sreenugur Tehasildaree, making the district more compact: the map shews how the whole lies.

6. The total would thus appear to be about 740 square miles, of which only 28 are cultivated, besides which more than 400 are fit for cultivation.

RIVERS.

7. There are only two, viz., the Ganges which enters the Doon at Tapoobun, about 2 miles above Rekikes, and leaves the valley at Hurdwar, running about 17 miles within

the Doon: it is rapid and full of islands, which by dividing its stream makes it sometimes fordable in some places, although with difficulty. 2d, the Jumna, which enters behind the Budraj mountain, and runs into the plains about 3 miles above Badsha Muhal an ancient royal hunting seat: its course bounds the Doon for about 18 miles (by the river). The Ganges bursts out through a break in the hills, full a mile broad, without having any thing particularly picturesque about it; but the Jumna winds for about nine miles through the lower range of hills; the scenery along its banks is beautiful. Neither river is navigable for any thing but timber rafts for several miles after leaving the Doon, on account of the numerous rapids.

8. There are many streams, some of which come from the second range, some from the lower range, and some rise within the Doon: the Sohun, one of the first description, is the largest and the only one of any size: it is ordinarily about 30 feet wide by 2 deep, about 5 miles from where it joins the Ganges; but it is impassable after heavy rain. The streams are beautifully clear, running over gravelly and stony beds, some of which are very broad. There are many stream courses, which are dry, except after rain; and the quantity of water that even in the rainy season comes down, is small in proportion to their breadth others again have water running in some places, which disappears under the gravel, and re-appears again here and there.

9. Near the centre of the Doon, water for irrigation is not procurable; whilst towards the Jumna some trouble and expense will obtain it: and in some parts, towards the Hurd war end of the valley, there is more than could be required, procurable with very little trouble.

PASSES.

10. To the plains these lie through the lower range of hills, and are merely the beds of torrents, of which two make a pass. These rising at the crest run one into the Doon, and the other into the plains. In some a small ridge is crossed between the heads of the two streams, and there are three or four Choor Ghattas (thief paths) winding over the ridges: these are difficult foot-paths. There are also two, bordering the Gunga and Jumna, which go round the two ends of the lower range of hills; and one which crossing the Jumna goes into the Kearda Doon, and from thence branches either into the Sikh territory or by Nahn to Subattoo. The first sort are very stony and steep near the crest on the plain's side. Altogether twenty are known, of which three of the first mentioned sort are practicable for carts, viz., Timlee, Kheree, and Khansrow, but with great difficulty:three for laden bullocks or ponies, viz., Kaloowala, Koojnâwur, and Sulempoor: the rest are foot-paths, some of which are bad for footmen, but others may be passed by a horseman, if he dismount and lead his horse carefully at the bad parts. There is also a line, or rather track of road from the Doon into Rohilkund, by crossing the Ganges at Lukurghat, and going down the Chandee province, crossing the hills, which divides it at a pass called the Deleeghata, and thence to Najeebabad. It is a much better line to pass from the Doon to Rohilkhund were there any traffic that way, than to go out at Hurdwar and keep along the right bank of the Ganges to Bhojpooor, at which there is a ferry. Formerly the Cashmeer caravans used to pass by this road.

11. Those into the hills (Gurhwall) are merely foot-paths; some ascend the hills at once, others lie first for some way along the bed of a stream: those used for merchandize are by Rajpoor, Nagul, by Sakniana up to the bed of the Sohun; Thanoo, Bhojpoor, up a stream lying between these two villages, Rekikes, and after crossing the Jumna, by

« PreviousContinue »