item of sayer was excluded from Forest Revenue. This may be regarded as an objection to the transfer of the whole of the Rukh lands to the Forest Department, but the above resolution may perhaps admit of reconsideration. We are of opinion that it would be highly inexpedient to exclude the amount realised by sale of grass on lands under the control of the Forest Department, which appears to be a legitimate item of forest revenue, and is so considered in Sindh and elsewhere.

(16) The question of the comparative advantage and disadvantage of the occupation of land by forests or by grain, is one upon which there is much difference of opinion, but it is generally admitted that an extension of the forests would tend to preserve a little moisture in the exceedingly dry climate of the Punjab. The heavier falls of dew where forests are, and the retention of moisture tend to ameliorate the climate and to fertilise the soil."

The suggestions in the above Memorandum that the rukh lands should be placed under the charge of the Forest Department was accepted by the Government of India, a paragraph in their letter, dated 7th December, 1863, reading: "Respecting the management of the Rukh lands, I am desired to say that it would appear expedient, in the first instance, to make them over to the Forest Department. The selection of the lands not to be retained can be made subsequently."

In a subsequent communication, however, dated 5th March, 1864, this order was reversed by the Government of India : "On a reconsideration of the above papers, the GovernorGeneral in Council is of opinion that the orders given in the Public Works Department Letter of 7th December, 1863, were issued under a misapprehension, and is now pleased to direct that the management of Rukhs in the Punjab shall be entirely withdrawn from the Forest Department, and remain as heretofore in charge of the Revenue Officers.

This determination as to the executive management of the Rukhs, which should be altogether in the hands of the District Revenue Officers, need not in any way interfere with the employment of the Forest Conservator for the purpose of inspecting these tracts, and advising as to their management, should such advice be thought desirable by the Punjab Government."

And, as a matter of fact, Dr. J. L. Stewart, who had been appointed officiating Conservator of Forests in the Punjab in accordance with Cleghorn's suggestion that such a post

should be created, had, before the year was out, drawn up a full and concise Report of the fuel resources for the supply of the Punjab Railway.

One remaining source of supply, likely to become of great importance, Cleghorn thought, had not yet been dealt with, viz. the plantations on the Western Jumna, Bara Doab and Inundation Canals. Dr. Stewart proposed to visit and report upon these.

CHAPTER XXVI

FOREST OPERATIONS IN THE NORTH-WEST PROVINCES AND

I

OUDH, 1858-1864

N a previous chapter the campaigns against the Gurkhas in 1814-16 were briefly alluded to. As a result of these campaigns the northern parts of the North-West Provinces, known as Kumaun and Garhwal, came under British rule. This region stretches eastward from the Sutlej, consisting of an area of territory mainly situated in the Himalaya, but including the tract of country stretching along the base of the mountains, and known as the Terai. This portion of the Himalayan region was reported to contain fine forests of conifers as well as broad-leaved trees, but at this period the region was almost unknown. The same may be said to have been the case with the inaccessible parts of the broad belt of sâl forest in the Terai lands, though the accessible areas had been treated hardly by the people.

In the absence of any attempt to introduce forest protection or forest conservancy into the forests of the North-West Provinces and Oudh the people were still carrying out, in the late 'fifties, the ruthless methods of exploitation which had been in force for centuries. Whole forests were being devastated by fire and by unregulated fellings. The forests were burnt every year either to clear the undergrowth for hunting or by the graziers to obtain a crop of young grass.

A brief review of the first attempts to mitigate these evils in the North-West Provinces and Oudh, will be given in this chapter. It may be stated at once, however, that the NorthWest Provinces were more backward in this respect than the other provinces already described.

As a first step towards introducing some amount of supervision and regulation in the management of the forests the Commissioners of Divisions were appointed ex officio Con

servators of Forests within their divisions in 1860. The Commissioner of Kumaun and Garhwal, Colonel (afterwards Sir Henry) Ramsay, took up the question of putting a stop to the devastation of the forests with enthusiasm, and in the plains forests of his charge stopped to some degree the promiscuous hacking by all and sundry who entered at will into the forest tracts. In the Gorakhpur District a commencement had been made in some of the forests on the same lines.

About 1860 it was decided to create a sanatorium for British troops at Naini Tal. This now well-known hill station had been discovered a few years previously by Ramsay. At that time there was only a vague report of a beautiful and sacred valley high up in the mountains uninhabited by any save a few jogis, or priests, but with no known path leading to it. Ramsay undertook an expedition to explore the lofty peak of China Pahar, and during a march came suddenly upon the lake at Naini Tal nestled in a secluded valley under the summit. The steep hills which surrounded it on every side were then clothed with a dense forest of evergreen oaks (Quercus incana and Q. dilatata) and other species. The forests were at the time the favourite haunt of wild animalssambhar, gural, bear and tiger being abundant. Ramsay said that he had seen a herd of wild elephant climbing up the steep slopes of China, and that he had in those days such shooting as he had nowhere else found the equal of. He built himself a two-storied house at Naini Tal on the plateau of Ayar Pathar; other houses were built soon afterwards, as also a native bazaar. In those early days a very steep path had been engineered up the face of the precipice from the Juli side, up which everything had to be carried. The Government of the North-West Provinces subsequently followed the Commissioner's example and decided to make Naini Tal the summer head-quarters, and it was determined to add a sanatorium for British troops. It was the period of activity and clear, shrewd foresight by men of the right stamp which followed the Mutiny. Conspicuous amongst these was Ramsay. He had formed and administered the provinces of Garhwal and Kumaun with brilliant success, and he saved his division during the Mutiny by taking the bold step, for it was a bold one to take, of promising the Gurkha sepoys the contents of the treasury at Almora if they remained true. This was in the darkest days of the Mutiny when, without a European soldier near to protect them, he had hundreds of English

women and children, refugees from Mussoorie and the plains, under his charge.

Ramsay at this time was the acknowledged autocrat of these hill districts, and was greatly beloved by the hill people, who had for so long been misgoverned. He developed with considerable skill and energy the resources of his charge. Amongst others he took up the question of the forests, and was the first Conservator of Forests of this region.

When the decision had been come to that accommodation was to be built for troops at Naini Tal, and now that it had become the head-quarters of the Local Government, it became necessary to improve the means of access to it; for the steep coolie path was far from adequate. It was decided to construct a good road from the foot of the hills up to the new summer head-quarters, and Mr. T. W. Webber was appointed to the charge of this work in 1861, the road taking the best part of three years to construct. In describing this work Webber remarks that timber was plentiful, and he burnt his lime on the spot. But the road was not an easy one to build, owing to the well-known shaly nature of the strata on many of the slopes of these mountains.

In proceeding to his new charge Webber graphically relates the tedious method of travelling of those days. The choice lay between riding, or bullock (or pony) cart, where a road existed, usually for short journeys; or the palanquin or dhooly for long journeys, when it was necessary to post through, and no post carts existed, or through roadless parts of the country. Such journeys were often done at night. Webber's description merits reproduction, since this antiquated method of travelling was still the general one in 1860, and survived much later in many parts; is not, in fact, yet extinct in 1920. "The dust of an unmetalled road, with the dense smoke of flaring torches, had filled the air all night long and made it unbreathable. The monotonous Huh, huh! huh, huh!' of the black and perspiring Kahars, or dhooly-bearers, as they struggled along under the weight of a primitive apparatus, made of canvas stretched on a rough framework, and called a 'dhooly,' had made the night everlasting. There had never been a chance of five minutes' consecutive sleep for the weary traveller reclining within. The long bamboo on which the vehicle hung, borne on the shoulders of four men, while four more ran beside, taking shift every five minutes, following the torch bearer, swung horribly from the trotting motion of the bearers,