The Kiranti and Limbu occupy the Nepalese districts of the great valley (the basin of the Kosi). The Kiranti, Kirata, or Kichak are the classical Cirrhatm. They are said to be also called Khombo. The Kiranti are often included in the Limbu, whom they much resemble in appearance.
The Tarya tribe are south of the Gurung, with whom they intermarry. They are Hindu in creed and manners.
The Haiyu, the Chepang, and the Kusundu are three Bhot tribes who dwell amid the dense forests of the central region of Nepal, to the westward of the great valley. They have no apparent affinity with the civilised races of that country, but live in huts made of the branches of trees, subsisting on wild fruits and the produce of the chase, snaring wild animals. They are constantly migratory. They are all darker and more slender than the tribes around them, and in form and colour greatly resemble some of the races in the plains, particularly the Kol.
In Central Nepal also are the Pahri, the Darahi or Dorhi, Denivar, and Paksya.
The Thakuri are descendants from former princes.
&ad, in Nepal, along the northern frontier of British India, and in the Panjab, are a mercantile body, dry grocers. They do not eat beef, but use other animal food, game, and fish.
&timer or Samear, a tribe in Nepal, dwelling below the mountain peaks of Gosainthan, to the north of the Magar and Gurung, and near and among the cis-nivean Bhutia race, dwelling in the central and temperate parts of the mountains. They are among the principal alpine tribes of the Sub-Himalayas, between the Kali, where the abori ginal tongues are merged into the Prakrit, and the Dhansri, where they begin to pass into mono syllabic-tongued races of Indo-Chinese origin.
Tharoo, a migratory forest race in Nepal and along the base of the Himalaya mountains, between Chumparun and Khatmandu, as far west as the river Gandak, which they occupy along with the Boksa at the foot of, but quite external to, the Himalaya: They cultivate a little, and live and thrive in the most malarious situations, and are invaluable in effecting forest clearances.
Just as the Tharoo inhabit the Terai, the Kus war and Bhutia, called the Manjhi, the Kumha, Bhramu, Denwar, and Durre, inhabit with im punity the lowest and hottest and most malarious valleys of Nepal, dwelling in small villages or in scattered cottages, following the avocation of potters, agriculturists, fishermen, and ferrymen. They have dark-coloured skins, slender forms, oval faces, elevated features, and peculiar dialects.
The Dharmi, a dancer caste of Nepal, attend at the annual festival at-which-buffaloes are sacri ficed, and drink copious draughts of, the warm blood of the victims.
The Dherwar and Margi, the husbandtnen and fishermen in the western districts. The Dherwar cultivate the Western lands at Nurkale, etc. Yakha, Mungar, Brahman, Khumbu, Nimbu, chiefly cultivators. The Gallia rear buffaloes
chiefly; the Kami, blacksmiths; the Sarki, tanners ; and the Domsi, tailors (Dome).
The Brahmans of Nepal have 94 tribes. East ward of Nepal, some districts are occupied by the Limbu, the Naggankot, and others. The Limbu are also called Yakthumba.
About four-fifths of the people are professing Buddhists, and the remainder Hindus ; but Hin duism has succeeded in materially corrupting the purity of the numerically predominant creed. Nepal presents the curious spectacle of Buddhism, with castes, distinctly polytheistic, addicted to bloody sacrifices, and, in part at least, practising the obscenities of the Tantrika system. There are about 2000 Buddhist temples in Nepal.
Languages.—About 40 tribes, with as many different languages, inhabit Nepal, Sikkim, and Bhutan. In Nepal is a perfect maze of dialects. Beginning from the Singhaleela range, we find Limbu or Kiranta, which goes west as far as the Dood Kosi river, in long. 86° 44' E. Sherwill found the Gurung in the higher parts of Singha leela, closely connected with whom are the Murmi. Along the lower hills are the Nagar, who extend to the west as far as Palpa. In Central Nepal are the Newar, Pahri, and Brahmo, a dialect of Nagar, also the Darahi or Dorhi, Denwar, and Paksya. The Parbatya or Paharia dialect of Hindi is spoken all over Nepal, and is the court language. West of this again comes the Palpa, then the Thaksya, Sunwar, and Sarpa, the dialects of Kamaon and Garhwal, which carry us on to the Milchan of Kanawar ; the Hundisi and Tibarskad, north of it, speak the Klotz language. The language of the 3Iagar, Gurung, and Newar is chiefly Tibetan.
The Gurkha had a language of their own until they adopted Brahmanism, when they partially adopted the Hindi, with which their own lan guage became mixed.
Produce.—The mountainous parts of Nepal are rich in mines of iron and copper. The copper is of a superior kind: Lead mines, yielding a pro portion of silver, are in Moulk. Small quantities of gold-dust are found in the Gandak. In addition to the sal timber trees and Bechiacouri pine, are the sissoo, the Setti-sal, the Phullamical, an iron wood, the Kalikset, a black wood, the Sajk, Burra, Sunni, Moolta, and a small quantity of ebony. These woods constitute iu a great measure the commercial wealth of Nepal. Wood merchants congregate at the southernmost point of the forest, near the river Gandak, because of the facility presented by that river of floating the timber to Calcutta. The bark of Photina dubia or Mespilus Bengalenisis is used for dyeing Times ; Smith's Nepal ; Kirkpatrick's Nepal ; Bogle's Tibet ; Sketches Nepal ; Munshi Sinew Shunker Sing Pandit Shri - Gun 'Chianti's History ; Dr. A. Campbell in J. A. Soc. ; Thomas' Prinsep.