242 THE HIGHLANDS OF CEXTEAL IXDIA. 



of the Salei tree. Above, short scarps of dark gray- 

 trap leading up to the flat tops of the range ; and below,, 

 so near looking that you would expect a stone thrown 

 over to light on it, and yet so fsir beneath that towns, 

 and groves, and corn-fields were all melted in one in- 

 distinguishable blue haze, the long, level cotton-yielding 

 plains of Berar. 



At Binoara the Mahomedan Nawabs of Berar had, 

 some hundreds of years ago, constructed a pleasure 

 house after their earnest fashion, which, despite the 

 effects of a destructive climate, and the searching roots 

 of the peepul and banyan figs, remains to this day, 

 though probably never repaired, an example of the 

 solidity of their style of construction. The massive 

 domes, thick walls, and narrow openings combine in 

 these buildings to form the coolest structures to be 

 found in India. The building at Bingara is erected 

 on the banks of a small artificial lake, the waters of 

 which, however, now escape a good deal through the 

 rotten embankment, leaving behind a slime which by 

 no means adds to the attractions of the place. The 

 building itself was the habitation of bats and owls ; 

 and so we pitched our little tent a short way back 

 from the lake under the shade of some immense banyan 

 trees. Just as we arrived some dosjs belono^inQ^ to the 

 Bheels, which had been ranging in the jungle, passed 

 across the dry bed of the lake in full cry after a doe 

 sambar they had roused. Of course we flew to our 

 rifles, but were just in time to miss her handsomely 

 as she dashed into the thick jungle, followed for a 

 little way by the dogs, who soon came limping back 

 however. 



Next morning we took different directions to explore 



