SERINAGUR, a principality or province of Northern Hindustan, situated chiefly between the 30th and 32st degrees of north latitude, and between the 77th and 79th of east longitude. It is divided from Thibet by the great mountain-wall of the Himalaya that bounds Hindustan on the north; it has the great plain of the Ganges on the south; on the east the rivers Dauli, Alcananda, and Ramgunga form its limits; and on the west it is bounded by the stream of the Jumna. It is estimated to be a hundred and forty miles in length by sixty in breadth, and to contain an area of nine thousand square miles. It contains two geographical divisions, namely, Gurwal proper, which occupies the whole of the lower ranges of hills and the sources of the Ganges, comprehending the hilly and mountainous region from which that river springs. In former times this principality also included Kumaon. In 1814 the Ghoorkhas possessed the whole country extending northward to the dependencies of China. Since their expulsion a new division has been effected, by which it has been separated into two distinct portions; the British government having retained the Deyrah Doon, the passes of the Ganges, and the Jumna, at either extremity of that valley, as also all the country to the eastward of the Alcananda and Bhagirathi, which last-mentioned tract has been annexed to Kumaon, and the remainder restored to the expatriated rajah. The territories to the eastward are therefore at present bounded by the Alcananda, from Radraprayag until its conjunction with the Bhagirathi, and thence to the plains by the united streams of the Ganges, and above Radraprayag, where the Alcananda receives the Mandakeri by the latter river. All the territories to the east of that line have been permanently annexed to Kumaon.

The whole face of this country towards Lalldong southward forms one vast assemblage of steep and lofty hills, of the rudest forms, and jumbled together in all directions. They are sometimes disposed, with an appearance of regularity, in parallel chains of no great extent, and shut in at their termination by narrow ridges running across the valleys at right angles. The summits are sharp and narrow, rising abruptly; and the distance between each range being very short, the valleys are in consequence so confined that it would be difficult in many of them to find room for an encampment of a thousand men. The aspect of these mountainous regions is very different. There are many of the ridges stony and naked, affording no shelter for birds or wild animals, while others are covered with trees, and always green, being covered with a luxuriant carpeting of shrubs and fragrant flowers. The eastern parts of the country to the Ganges consist of lower ranges of hills, extending eastward to an undefined extent, and covered with extensive forests of oak, holly, horse-chestnut, fir, and beds of strawberries, equalling in flavour those in Europe. Over this extensive and mostly desert country inhabitants are very thinly scattered, a great proportion of it being left in the undisturbed possession of the wild animals, such as the elephant, which is, however, greatly inferior in size and quality to the Chittagong elephant, on which account it is seldom domesticated; the tiger, the leopard, and generally all the other animals which are found to range among the tropical forests. The country is chiefly watered by the Ganges, and its head streams the Bhagirathi and Alcananda, by the junction of which it is formed at Devaprayaga. The latter is a considerable river, and is joined by >ts tributaries the Mandakini, the Pinden, the Mandaioki, the Birke, and the Dauli; while the Bhagirathi is joined by the Bilhang. Some of these rivers bring a large accession of water to the main stream; and they have most of them their remote sources in the Himalaya Mountains. None of these streams being fordable, and, besides, descending with all the violence of mountain-torrents, and their channel being too much encumbered with rocks and stones to ad mit the use of boats, they are crossed by rope and platform bridges at the most convenient points of communication; while the roads are merely footpaths running along the slope of a mountain in the direction of the principal streams and water-courses, and being only practicable in many places for hill-porters. (See the article Hindustan.) Sheep and goats are also trained to traverse the difficult road, and to act as beasts of burden. They arc loaded with small bags, containing twelve pounds of grain each, and are despatched in flocks of from 150 to 200, under the charge of two or three shepherds with their dogs. A steady old well-trained ram is extremely serviceable in carrying goods in these mountainous countries, particularly grain, which forms a principal article of commerce. From the higher region salt is brought back.

In 1796, while Serinagur or Gurwal included Kumaon, and was an independent principality, the revenues amounted to five lacs of rupees per annum, which sum was made up of the duties on imports and exports, the land-rents, the working of mines and washing of gold. The other sources of revenue arose from a tax on the importation of rock-salt and borax from Bootan; of musk in pods, chow-ries, hawks, and male and female slaves from the countries bordering on Bhadrinath; of cotton cloths of all descriptions from the province of Oude; and of salt from Lahore.

Gold is found among the sands of most of the mountain-streams. The principal places where it is gathered are Carnaprayaga, Pacenkoonda, Devaprayaga, Rickercase, and Lakherighaut. There are in the mountains mines of copper, which in 1816 were let out for one year at 1850 rupees. Prior to the Ghoorkha invasion these mines were said to yield 52,000 rupees. During the confusion consequent on that event some of them have been choked up with rubbish; and to recover them from their present condition would require more capital than any native ever possesses. At Nagpoor and Dhunpoor, to the north and northeast of Serinagur, are two copper-mines, which are said to produce fifty per cent. At Dessouly, a considerable distance to the east, there is a lead-mine; and iron is produced in many parts of the country. Near Jarachi Ghaut, in the eastern quarter of the province, there is a quarry of very fine marble.

The ancient name of this province was Gurwal; and while it was an independent state the rajah’s forces were estimated at 5000 men, armed with matchlocks, bows and arrows, and swords and shields, but without discipline. In 1791 the Nepaulese made an attempt to reduce this country, but met with such unexpected resistance, that they desisted from the attempt. From this date, however, the Serinagur rajah became tributary to the Ghoorkhali dynasty. In 1803 an army of 10,000 men marched to complete the conquest, and a battle took place, which decided the contest between the Serinagur and Nepaul rajahs in favour of the latter.

Serinagur, a town of Hindustan, in the province of Serinagur, of which it is the capital. It is situated in the centre of a valley watered by the river Alcananda, which extends a mile and a half to the eastward, and the same distance to the westward, of the town. It is of an elliptical form, being in length about three quarters of a mile, and much less in breadth. The houses are built of rough stone and mud, generally raised to a second floor, and covered with slate. They are remarkably crowded together; and the streets are so narrow as scarcely to leave room for two persons to pass. The house of the former rajahs is in the middle of the town, and is the largest, being raised to a fourth story, and built of a coarse granite. The town is now in a ruinous condition, having been reduced to poverty and insignificance by a variety of causes; by the invasion of the Nepaulese at the end of the year 1803, the earthquake which took place in the same year, the encroachments annually[7:20:120] made by the Alcananda, and, finally, by the oppressive government under its Ghoorkhali rulers. The inhabitants are chiefly Hindus, the number of Mahommedan families not exceeding sixty or seventy, and most of these being petty shopkeepers. The Hindu inhabitants are chiefly the descendants of emigrants from the Doab and province of Oude. Serinagur is the seat of an inconsiderable trade, the most profitable branch of which consists of a traffic in silver and specie, which is carried on to a considerable amount by the leading persons in the town, who are agents of the great banking-houses at Najibabad and in the Doab, and who are employed in the sale of merchandise and coins. The other articles of trade are the produce of the hills, consisting of coarse hempen cloth, hemp, lead, copper, drugs, gums, wool, and a sort of flannel made of wool. From Bootan are imported cow-tails, musk, saffron, borax, salt, drugs of different kinds, and a few shawls that are sent circuitously from Cashmere. Hawks are also brought from the hills. The articles received in exchange are coarse cotton and woollen cloths, silk, spices, Lahore salt, sugar, and tobacco. The air of Serinagur is unfavourable to strangers, on which account many of the merchants forsake it during the rainy season. Long. 79. 18. E. Lat. 30. 11. N.