his appearance and made many objections to our journey. He (Gujar) received a present of ten rupees, but I had reason to believe that he expected more. Arjun had five, and we had friends amongst the women, in consequence of medicines given to them, as also of silver rings and other trifles, which I had distributed. After a delay of two hours more we took our leave of Niti; my companion and myself then mounted on a chounr bul lock. We were told that the first march was to reach Gútang, a place five cós dis tant, where we were to halt two days. This compromise we were really happy to make, for it was evident that it was the intention of the people to detain us at Niti as long as possible, for objects of their own.

Left Niti at 11b. 20. After travelling a mile, the people would not go any further, saying they were not prepared to proceed to Gútang, and that they would be with us the following day. They wished to solemnize the anniversary of the death of one of the villagers which happened by accident twelve months ago, and their march to But'hant (Bootan) at the same time; and, notwithstanding their promise, it was understood that they would take up two days in this festival.

Our encampment was on the slope of a hill situate between the foot of high, mouldering mountains and the river Dauli not farther than a mile in direct distance from Niti. However, we had made a start, and were in a better posture for defence in case of any attack being made upon us than at Niti, for in front of us there was a deep rivulet, on our right looking towards Niti, whence only we had any thing to apprehend, was the river Dauli, and, on the left flank, mountains which could not be turned without immense difficulty.

25th.-Rain fell during the night, and, as the cattle had been turned loose to graze the preceding day, I resolved to go towards the rocks. We had heard the call of birds which we took to be pheasants. I was three hours in reaching the base of the line of rocks, which seemed not quite three miles from our encampment; and though I climbed as slowly as possible, I was obliged to stop every five

The Yak of Tartary. Bos grunniens,

or six paces to take breath; and the persons who accompanied me were affected in the same manner. In respect to game my search was unsuccessful, but I met with many plauts; amongst others were two kinds of rhubarb. One I took for the Rheum palmatum, the other was much smaller. I cut up the roots of many large plants. The leaves in several instances sprung from a little sound bark, which surrounded a large portion that was rotten. Those which were hard were detached from the sound part of the bark near the surface of the ground; but these shrunk much in drying, and had but little of the rhubarb taste, colour, or smell, whilst the sound fragments of the root of the preceding year were marbled like the cut surface of a nutmeg: some were yellow, and had the peculiar qualities of the rhubarb, with a very large proportion of a bright colouring matter which stained the finger of a gold tint; but I presume that the best time for taking up the roots is in September. If the quality of this root should be found to equal that of the Levant, the quantity procurable here at an easy rate would be very great.

We have learnt that the carousals of last night were kept up sò long as to have prevented the partakers from undertaking any kind of business.

26th. Early this morning I went up the mountains. The ascent was very laborious from the great difficulty of breathing which we all experienced; yesterday, out of five people, two only were able to go as far as I did: to-day only one out of four could keep company with me, and he requested me to return, as the cold made him suffer much. The wind blew fresh up the mountain in the line of direction which I was taking; but I found that I could not take above five or six steps straight forwards without stopping to take breath; I therefore ascended by zigzags of eight or ten paces, which afforded the opportunity of having a side wind in each oblique line. After a toilsome ascent of five hours, I reached a small flat of table land, which, if alone, would have been considered as of great height; but was of minor importance in the presence of rocks of such stupendous loftiness as those which hid their summits in the clouds. This was covered

with a dark green carpet, formed by a short narrow-leaved grass of a springy nature, and enamelled with small blue polyanthuses in tufts, with anemones and ranunculuses, but not with any of remarkable brilliancy of colour. After collecting all the varieties within my reach, I prolonged my march, following the track of a chounr bullock up the hill. I was obliged to continue my oblique march; but, on turning my back to the wind, felt a sudden fulness in my head accompanied by giddiness, and fearing apoplexy, I threw myself on the ground with precipitation. After a short time the gasping for breath became less frequent, the action of the head was less violent, and I quitted the turf; but although I walked as leisurely as possible, I was twice again attacked with the same symptoms, and thought it most prudent to desist ascending any higher. The imperious necessity for stopping to breathe at every four or five steps was only felt whilst ascending; when the impetuous action of the heart was reduced by remaining quiet in one place, no difficulty in breathing was perceived, nor was it felt in descending, even in a run where this was practicable; but several times at our encampment, when about to fall asleep, I have been interrupted by the same sensation. Although not particularly aware of any remarkable degree of heat or of cold, yet I found my hands, neck, and face very red, and the skin sore, and blood had burst from my lips a circumstance which I do not recollect to have happened to me before.

27th.—Hearing nothing from the Niti people, a messenger was dispatched to learn the cause of their not coming. He went off about ten in the morning, and said that he found all the inhabitants fast asleep from the effects of intoxication. Men, women and children were lying in one promiscuous heap upon the floor. With difficulty he awoke two people, who stated that Arjun would be with us in the evening, and that we should assuredly march the following morning, They had killed several goats, and burnt the entrails and some other parts on an altar, but had feasted on the remainder. When a person dies, it is customary to invite all the relations and friends of the deceased to a supper and

dance. The night is spent in feasting and drinking at the expence of the property of the deceased; and not unfrequently the revelry is attended with bloodshed, as was the case last night, three persons having been wounded with swords.

In the evening Arjun came, and promised that we should start in the morning; but desired to have a bond of indemnity against any mischief that might be done by any of our party in Undés. This was complied with, we promising to pay five times the amount of any damage done.

June 28th.-Thermometer fifty-one and a half, depart at seven A. M. At three thousand six hundred and five paces cross melting snow. At five thousand nine hundred and seventeen came to our halting ground on the bank of the river. This is called Gútung nacli. Here we found the goats and sheep belonging to the Marchas of Ghomsálí, Pharkia and Niti, who are going to Bootan with grain. Two P. M. thermometer in tent seventy-four degrees. In the evening Amer Singh and Gujar's son arrived. Rain continued great part of the night.

29th.-Thermometer fifty degrees, morning cloudy and rainy. Leave our ground at six A. M. At fifteen hundred and sixty paces the Dauli is joined by the Hiwangal, which rises from the Nar Narayan mountain of Bhadra Náth, and is a considerable stream. The joint stream is about twenty-five yards broad. Proceed over blocks of stone along the left bank of the Dauli, which hurries down its bed a great body of snow water. At two thousand three hundred and seventy paces a bed of snow forms an arch, under which the river runs; this bed was about forty yards lung and ten thick. At two thousand six hundred and eighty paces arrive at another, over the edge of which we proceed. At three thousand one hundred and nine paces reach another, which like the former passes over the river. At three thousand five hundred and eighty paces cross on a Sankho to the right bank; river about sixteen feet broad, but rapid ; ascend a difficult hill. At four thousand six hundred and thirty paces reach its summit. This is the road for the early part of the season; at a later period the best road is along the right bank of the river. The stream is about seven hundred

feet below the top of the ascent just mentioned. At seven thousand three hundred and fifty paces cross a broad watercourse called Patarpáni, proceeding from the mountains, and carrying a considerable boby of water due E. into the bed of the Duuli about a mile distant. On the other side of the river another watercourse, coming from the east by south, empties itself into the great stream.

We have been obliged to comply with the extravagant terms of the Niti people at the rate of fourteen Timáshás * for every load, and a bullock was rated at two loads, that is twenty-five Timáshás ; we wished that there should be a stated weight; but this they would not comply with, and a cow was entered as being equal to a bullock. This proved unused

*The silver coin of Sunagar and Latakh, which should weigh, as the name imports, three mashas, the fourth part of a rupee, but the present currency has been much debased.

to carry burthens, as she three times threw off her load; at length disengaging herself from what she carried, she ran away, and I was obliged to dismount and put her load on my bullock. The Niti people had proposed to carry flour for us to Dábá at a moderate price on goats, but we could not bring them to specific terms before we started, and were obliged to keep this matter open, notwithstanding this renders us still more liable to be imposed upon. To-day they insisted that three goats were equal to the hire of one man; and although this rate is higher than the absolute value of the goats, we were obliged to submit to the imposition. At Niti our Bareli rupees were current in payment for five Timáshás; at this place the carriers will only consider them equal to four; this circumstanee explains one reason of the delay in settling the rate of hire.

(To be continued.)

WE have received specimens of most of the Asiatic languages from travellers or missionaries, which qualify us for arranging them with others, according to their derivation and affinity; but we know less of those spoken in those places where few or scarcely any Europeans have visited. To these belong that spoken in the cluster of islands laying between Japan and Formosa, called Lieu Kieu, or Lung Kieu by the Chinese; Riu kiu, or Wo ke no Sema, by the Japanese; Ogii by the natives. This state, consisting of thirty-six islands, is governed by a king, under the authority of the Chinese, and as an evidence of this bears a seal received from Peking, with Chinese and Mandchu characters, with the inscription Lieu Kieu Koue vang chi in in old Chinese characters, and Liu tsiu gurun ne vang ne doron in Mandchu writing, both which mean Seal of the King of the kingdom Lieu Kieu.*

Dr. Hager published the inscription on this geal in his explanation of the elementary cha

A small vocabulary of the language of this island is found in a Chinese work, printed at the end of the 16th century, which was compiled by a translator who accompanied an ambassador from thence to Peking. It is arranged in classes, and entitled, Y yu in she, that is, barbarous words, with their pronunciation and meaning. It proves that this language is a dialect of the Japanese, which has adopted much Chinese.

racters of the Chinese. The tchuen, or ancient Chinese characters, are very accurately copied; but the Mandchu writing is in the unimproved character, and the language is neither, called Ta tsing, nor spoken generally at Peking.

The most copious and accurate account of the Lieu Kieu Islands is contained in the 23d volume of the "Lettres Edifiantes et Curieuses," and is accompanied by a chart.-W, H.

Some particulars relating to Lieu Kieu áre found in the following Chinese works;-Kang hy tse tien E tong tchy; the Louy chu san tsai tou hoey, and two other encyclopedias in the East India Company's library.