eteenth century sought rigorously to limit our
responsibilities to the west of the Jamna. Together they have an area of
275 square miles, a population of 59,987 persons, and a revenue of Rs.
269,500 (L18,000). The Chief of Loharu, Nawab Amir ud din Ahmad Khan,
K.C.I.E., is a man of distinction.

4. _Hindu Hill States_

[Sidenote: Area, 1200 sq. m.
pop. 181,110.
Rev.
Rs. 500,000
= L33,333.]

~Mandi~ is a tract of mountains and valleys drained by the Bias. With
Suket, with which for many generations it formed one kingdom, it is a
wedge thrust up from the Sutlej between Kangra and Kulu. Three-fifths of
the area is made up of forests and grazing lands. The _deodar_ and blue
pine forests on the Kulu border are valuable. At Guma and Drang an
impure salt, fit for cattle, is extracted from shallow cuttings. A
considerable part of the revenue is derived from the price and duty. The
chiefs are Chandarbansi Rajputs. The direct line came to an end in 1912
with the death of Bhawani Sen, but to prevent lapse the British
Government has chosen as successor a distant relative, Jogindar Singh,
who is still a child.

[Illustration: Fig. 122.]

[Sidenote: Area, 420 sq. m.
Pop. 54,928.
Rev.
Rs. 200,000
= L13,333.]

~Suket~ lies between Mandi and the Sutlej. Its Raja, Ugar Sen, like his
distant relative, the Raja of Mandi, came under British protection in
1846. His great-grandson, Raja Bhim Sen, is the present chief.

[Sidenote: Area, 1198 sq. m.
Pop. 138,520.
Rev.
Rs. 600,000
= L40,000.]

[Illustration: Fig. 123. The late Raja Surindar Bikram Parkash, K.C.S.I.,
of Sirmur.]

~Sirmur~ (~Nahan~) lies to the north of the Ambala district, and
occupies the greater part of the catchment area of the Giri, a tributary
of the Jamna. It is for the most part a mountain tract, the Chor to the
north of the Giri rising to a height of 11,982 feet. The capital, Nahan
(3207 feet), near the southern border is in the Siwalik range. In the
south-east of the State is the rich valley known as the Kiarda Dun,
reclaimed and colonized by Raja Shamsher Parkash. There are valuable
_deodar_ and _sal_ forests. A good road connects Nahan with Barara on
the N.W. Railway. In 1815 the British Government having driven out the
Gurkhas put Fateh Parkash on the throne of his ancestors. His troops
fought on the English side in the first Sikh War. His successors, Raja
Sir Shamsher Parkash, G.C.S.I. (1856-98), and Raja Sir Surindar Bikram
Parkash, K.C.S.I.