TOPOGRAPHY. 



Brahmini. The Kolhan Government Estate is generally 

 very mountainous but there is a slightly undulating plateau 

 in the east of it (and to the west of the estate of Dalbhum 

 and Seraikhela), which is only about 750 ft. in elevation. 

 On this Chaibassa is situated. The portion of the 

 Kolhan west of the Karo R. known as " Saranda, " the land 

 of the seven hundred hills, is the most beautiful part of 

 Singbhum and the richest in its flora and fauna. In conse- 

 quence of the preservation of its forests the splendid streams 

 of the South Karo, the Koina and others, contain an 

 abundance of water all the year round and are well stocked 

 with Mahseer and other fish. The mountain ranges 

 strike generally N.-E. and S.-W. and usually rise 

 to close on 3,000, ft. 1 sheltering deep valleys with perennial 

 springs, where the comparative coolness and humidity has a 

 marked effect on the flora (vide infra). The Saranda rivers, 

 like those in Porahat, often have a gentle gradient for consi- 

 derable distances and flow through broad valleys with fine 

 forest. The whole aspect then suddenly changes, the valley 

 closes in and rugged rocks, hung with bees' nests, overhang 

 cascades and gigantic boulders 10-30 ft. in diameter. Wild 

 elephants and considerable numbers of bison (Bos gaums) still 

 occur in these forests, which, however, have a somewhat less 

 pleasant feature in their numerous man-eating tigers. 



The district of Palamau is said to have an average 

 elevation of 1,200 ft. On the south and south-east are the 

 mountainous ghats of the Ranchi, Hazaribagh and Sarguja 

 plateaux which throw out long spurs and hill- ranges far iuto 

 Palamau, and on which are situated the Barasand and other 

 reserved forests. Some of the highest mountains in the 

 south, in continuation of the pats of western Lohardaga 

 (Ranchi district) and Sarguja, attaiu 3,500 ft. Flowing north 

 from the southern highlands is the Urunga river, after- 

 wards known as the North Koil, which joins the Sone. 



■■ »* — >. ■ — . 



1 The highest is 3,041 ft. situated on the Keonjhur frontier, while the 

 lowest point of the Samta valley is only 750 ft. 



