The dialect spoken in the district of Soomchoo, differs from the others, principally in the tenses of the verbs, but some of the words are likewise different. The following are a few : The above languages, are spoken at the following places, Milchan in Utharabees, half of Pundrabees, Rasgramee, Wangpo, Tookpa, Yooshooung, Rarung, and part of Gungel. Theburskud in Soongnum and She aspa. Zhungram in Zhungram, with the exception of Rarung village. Soomchoo in Soomchoo. B,hoteea or Tartar, in Hungrung and the Tartar villages of Tookpa; this language, with a few slight variations, prevails at Garoo, Mansurmur, and along the banks of the Brahmapootra to Teshoo Loomboo and Lahassa, it is the native tongue of Ludak, to the Northwest of which country it becomes intermixed with the Toorkee or Turkish, which is spoken in Yarkund. Dr. Gilchrist's Orthography has been used. Note on the Passes into Hindoostan from the West and North-west, and the use made of them by different Conquerors. The following Note was prepared for official use and reference, rather than for the prosecution of literary and scientific researches; the interest attaching to the subject at this juncture, will excuse its publication in this shape, without that full citation of authorities and elaborate comparison of statements, which in a more formal Essay migh; be expected, and for the complete satisfaction of the learned on controverted points would be indispensible.-H. T. P. The river Indus has always been regarded as the natural boundary of India, but its valley is within that country; the real boundary is the range of mountains that shuts in the elevated plains and arid deserts of Afghanistan. The Indus, after a course of near 500 miles to the north-west, washing the northern foot of the Himalaya, and fed by tributaries from the north and south, breaks through that chain after receiving the waters of the Gilgit valley from the N. W. The slide of one of the mountains of the pass submerged that valley about a year and a half ago, and the accumulated waters, reopening suddenly the closed passage, produced a most destructive inundation, (the rise at Atuk being no less than sixty feet,) which sent a back stream seventy miles up the Kabool river. The Government wished to have this convulsion of nature examined, and Dr. Jameson was deputed, with the assent of the Sikh government, to follow the river Indus up for the purpose; but the insurrection of the Afghan tribes defeated this intention, and we have consequently no intelligence to be depended upon of any of the passes north of Atuk, where the Kabool river flows into the Indus.* Mons. Court, an intelligent general of the Sikh army has, however, given the following list of the ferry points of the river above Attock: 1. Bazar Hound; 2. Monari; 3. Pehoor; 4. Nachhee; 5. Kabbel; 6. Chitabha; 7. Amb; 8. Durbund; 9. Chuturbahi; 10. Mabera; 11. Toohara; 12. Morer; 13. Didel; 14. Kamache; 15. Buhar; 16. Pachetlehi; 17. Guendoo; 18. Mateeal; 19. Buttera; 20. Jendial and Manial; 21. Kalchi; 22. Palespatan; 23. Pohoogoojee; 24. Koonchir; 25. Jalkoot. We know further that Futeh Khan Vuzeer, carried a force by Durbund and Mozuffurabad to relieve his brother in Kashmeer, before that valley submitted to Runjeet Singh. Mahmood of Ghuzni also went by the same route into Kashmeer, and from thence made an expedition into Kashghur. These routes, however, are only open for a few months of summer, and are not likely to be chosen by an invading force aiming at the conquest of India. |