THE NAEBADA VALLEY. 83 



composed of massive blocks of rock, roughly squared 

 and laid without masonry. Inside tanks have generally 

 been excavated in the rock to hold a plentiful supply 

 of water, natural hollows being always taken advantage 

 of to avoid labour as much as possible. Before the 

 days of artillery such places must have possessed great 

 strength ; but we rarely hear of their being vigorously 

 defended by their possessors, and they were generally 

 surrendered after a short investment. Doubtless the 

 chief cause was usually want of provisions, masses of 

 people being suddenly huddled into the place, and 

 being unable to carry with them the scanty provender 

 afforded by a poor country in the face of danger. In 

 1564 the great Akber sent his lieutenant to reduce 

 the Gond chieftain of Mandla. The Gond troops, led 

 by the heroic Diirgawati, the Eajpiit widow of the 

 last chief, made a noble resistance to the invader near 

 Jubbulpiir ; but, the battle at last going against them, 

 their leader stabbed herself rather than suffer the dis- 

 grace of defeat ; and this fort of Chaoragarh immediately 

 afterwards fell into the hands of the Moslem, too^ether 

 with property and treasure valued in the chronicles at 

 an altosfether fabulous amount. The summits of these 

 old forts usually contain a little water in the old tanks ; 

 and being generally covered with thick jungle are 

 favourite resorts of the tiger and other animals in the 

 hot weather. 



From my camp at Chaolpani a single peak of the 

 Puchmurree hills w^as visible. It had not a very 

 imposing appearance, however, as I find it recorded 

 as " like half an egg sticking out of an immense egg- 

 cup ! " A couple of bears came close up to the camp 

 at night and commenced to fight, making a fearful 



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