VEPIL. 275 in the cases of the Dundwa hills above Eastern Oudh, where the skirt of the hills is the boundary, and of the Sumesar hills, above northwestern Champiran, where the watershed of the hills is the boundary. On the east, Nepal is bounded by the Mechi river, the Singatha ridge, and the hill principality of Sikkim. Strictly speaking, the name Nepal applies only to the valley in which Khatmandu is situated. But throughout this account, the word is taken to represent the kingdom which the dominant race of Gurkhalis has been gradually establishing, for the most part within the period of British rule in India, to the south of the Himalayan watershed, and between the rivers Sarda and Mechha. Nepál lies, with an inclination from north-west to south-east, between the extremes of north latitude 26° 25' and 30°17', and of east longitude 87° 6' and $So it. Its greatest length is about 512 miles. The breadth varies from 70 to 150 miles. The total area has been computed at about 54,000 square miles. The estimate of population ranges from the British Government's assumed total of 2,000,000 to the Nepalese Darbár's higher figure of from 5,200,000 to 5,600,000. As there has never been a Census of the country, both estimates are arbitrary, although there are reasons for supposing the British figures to be nearer the truth. The chief administrative divisions are:- In the hills : Baitari, Doti and Acham, Tumla, Satiana, Dhang and Deskhn, Palpa and Pokhra, Gúrkha and Khatmandu, Sindhulia, Dhankuta, Ilan. In the Tarai : Naya Mulk ('new territory,' ceded in 1860), Batwal, Newalpur and Chitawan, Pursa Bara and Rotahat, Sirlahi and Nihtari, Suptari, and Murang. With scarcely an exception, these Districts are governed by Gúrkhalí officers. Aspect of the Country:—The surface of Nepál is extremely diversified. Among its lofty summits is Mount Everest (in the vernacular' DudhGangi,' i.e. the Ganges of Milk), which, with an elevation of 29,002 feet, is the highest known summit of the globe, vhilst almost the whole mountain system along which the northern boundary runs is at or above the level of perpetual snow. All the most prominent peaks or groups of peaks stand in advance, or, in other words, to the south of the elevated ground which forms the southern watershed of the Sanpu, or great river of Tibet, and which is, so to speak, the backbone of the mountain barrier between Tibet and India. The peaks are connected with the watershed; and from then ridges with dependent spurs project, which serve as lateral barriers to the three great river basins of the Kurnali, the Gandak, and the Kosi. These basins have a southward slope, being broad at the top where they leave the southern watershed of the Sanpu, and gradually contracting like a fan from its rim to the handle. The similar slope of the huge ridges of Api,
