118 Mr Hardie''s Observations on the 



of very low hills or rather swells, surrounded as above de- 

 scribed. On a ledge of rock, at the south of the valley, the 

 city is situated, in which are several houses and temples of 

 large extent. The palace itself is of immense extent, and in 

 the distance has a very imposing appearance. The city is sur- 

 rounded on three sides by a wall and wet ditcii, but of no great 

 strength ; and on the fourth side it is skirted by a lake about 

 twelve miles in circumference. This lake presents one of the 

 most picturesque objects which I have ever seen. It is com- 

 pletely closed in by hills of a broken and rugged aspect, which 

 are seen rising one above another in the perspective, and which 

 are covered to the very top by a thick jungle, giving to the 

 scene a rich and luxuriant appearance. Scattered over it are se- 

 veral islands, on two of which are erected hot-weather residen- 

 ces of the Ranah. The buildings completely surround the 

 islands, presenting to the view colonnades, virandahs, and 

 domes of a pure white colour, from the central courts of which 

 are seen rising above the edifices cocoa nut trees, palmiras and 

 cypresses ; and in these islands also are produced the finest 

 oranges of India. Altogether the scene is truly oriental, and 

 although the buildings on close inspection appear rather heavy, 

 in the distance they look light and airy. They are built of a 

 coarse white marble; out of which, also, is carved a kind of light 

 frame-work, which nearly surrounds the islands as well as the 

 roofs of the different apartments. Besides the lake just de- 

 scribed, there is another of equal extent in the north-east part 

 of the valley, on which are also observed several small islands, 

 but vvithout buildings upon them. 



The rocks, composing that portion of the range of hills which 

 passes Oudeypore, are quartz-rock and clay-slate, similar in aj)- 

 pearance to those described as occurring in the southern portion 

 of the district. The quai'tz-rock is distinctly stratified, and the 

 strata are nearly vertical. In its structure this rock is exactly 

 similar to the variety mentioned as forming the singular bed 

 near Bando. 



In the range of hills skirting the Dhabar Lake, which lies 

 shout thirty miles to the south-east of Oudeypore, the quartz- 

 rock appears to pass into gneiss ; and here the gneiss presents 

 itself in a very beautiful form. I visited this well-knomi lake 



