﻿u* 



HINDU8TAK. 



HINDUSTAN. 



1»4 



lower CSkVMj with tbe level coast of MaUbar. It takw Ub nune from 

 tha town of Coimbatont, which lias near ita eaatem axtremit;, but 

 ontaide of it, or from the river Pooany, which draiua it in all ita length. 

 Tbe town of Paitaitj/ atanda near the mouth uf the river. It haa a 

 good harbour, and a population of about lU.OOO. It carries on a con- 

 aiderable oonuneroe with the towns along the Malabar coast, Arabia, 

 and Bengal. [Coimbatore.] 



II. Hu Decctm. — This term was originally applied to the whole 

 peninsula aouth of the river Nerbudda, including also the country 

 south of the Oap of Coimbatore. [Deccan.] We here apply it, iu a 

 geographical view, to tbe peninsula north of the Oap of Coimbatore, 

 and wa fix ita northern boundary at the valley of the Nerbudda, and 

 aury it thence eastward to the neighbourhood of Balaaore, on the 

 Oulf of Bengal. This boundary-line runs across the whole peninsulfe 

 between 31° and 23° N. lat. 



Tbe interior and by far the greater part of this extensive region is 

 an elevated table-land, which U inclosed on all sides by low plains 

 extending to tbe aea-ahore. Tbe edges of the table-land are mised 

 above the surface of the taV>le-land itself, and appear in the form of 

 mountains or high bills, and tlie descent from tliem to the low plaina 

 ou tbe sea-ehore is steep, and full of impedimtinis to commimication. 

 The Ubleland extends from about 12° to 21° N. lat Between 12° 

 and l(i° its average breadth probably does not exceed 150 mile.', but 

 north of 16° it widens gradually to 400 miles. By tbe natives it is 

 called Bala-Ubaut, or the country above the Ghauts ; and the low 

 plains of the coait are named Payan-Ghaut, or the country below the 

 Ohauts. The name Gbaut properly sigiiities a narrow pass through 

 mountains, but is also applied to the mountain-ranges in which tboae 

 paasea occur. The word is a form of the Sanscrit, ' gati," a way or 

 path. The elevation of this table-land varies. The country south of 

 1 5° N. lat., which is called the table-land of Mysore, is the highest 

 part, and it is higher towards the east than towards the west. Ban- 

 galore is 3026 feet above the sea. North of 15° N. lat., the table-land 

 deacends, and the greatest depression seems to occur between 15° 

 and ] 7° N. lat, in the region drained by the Kistna and ita tributaries, 

 where the elevation is only about 1200 feet Farther north it again 

 rises higher, and the western and higher districts, a^t far as 77° E. long., 

 yaty between 2000 and 2500 feet But east of 77° its slope, which is 

 mostly to tbe south-east or south, is more rapid, and the elevation 

 becomes less than 1000 feet above the sea. The surface of this table- 

 land is a level plain, ou which bills rise here and there in a conical 

 form, from 300 to 900 feet above their base. Towards the mountains 

 which constitute the western edge of tbe table-land tbe surface is 

 much more unevea Numerous short spurs branch off from the 

 mountains and advance about 80 or 35 miles into the plain. The 

 isolated hills, as well as these spurs, are of very steep ascent, and on 

 them are built the numerous strong fortresses called droogs, or hill- 

 forta, now mostly going rapidly to decay. 



Here, as in other countries between the tropics, the year is divided 

 into two parts, a rainy and a dry season. The rainy season occurs 

 during the south-west monsoon, commencing in May, when only small 

 showers falL In June or July they become more regular and con- 

 tinuous, and they last till October. But the quantity of rain is not 

 great, being estimated to amount only to 20 or 26 inches annoally ; 

 whilst on the western coast it is 116 inches, and on the eastern 45 

 inches. The mean annual temperature of the higher districts of the 

 table-laud seems to be nearly 10 degrees less than at Madras ; it is 

 stated to be at Darwar 75° Fabr. and at Madras 84° Fahr. 



The table-land is destitute of trees so far as the plain extends. On 

 the low spurs of the Western Ghauts and in the valleys between them 

 the country is wooded, and this is alaotbe case with the most southern 

 comer along the river Cavery. On the whole surface of the table-land 

 a black soil prevails, which is favourable to the growth of cotton. The 

 hills which rise on the table-land are bare and sterile, as are most of 

 the small valleys between them, but some of the Talleya are very 

 fertile. The northern districts of the table-land are less fertile than 

 the southern, and vast tracts without cultivation frequently occur 

 there. During the rainy season aud the cool months which immedi- 

 ately follow, this country is covered with a fine sward of grass, and 

 much of it is cultivated or planted ; but towards the spring the plains 

 loee their verdure, and their surface becomes a brown level, intersected 

 by numerous deep rents. Clouds of dust are raised by tbe dry winds, 

 and the beat is exoeasive. The rivers flow slowly in their deep beds, 

 and all the smaller itreams dry up. The cultivation of rice is only 

 carried on where there are artificial means of irrigation ; tanks for 

 this purpoae are numerous in some place*. The number of other 

 giaina, planta, and fruit* is very great 



By far the greata*t portion of this table-land is still under the sway 

 either of Hindoo or of Mohammedan princes. 



1. The most southern part ii tbe kingdom of Mysore, governed by 

 a Hindoo prince. The capital is Mfton, south of Seringapatam. 

 Mysore is Mtuatsd in 12* \V N. Ut, 76° 42' E. long. It occupies a 

 Urge space of ground, ud i* iaclo*ed by a wall. The streeU are laid 

 ont with aome regard to reguhuity, and the houses are intermingled 

 with temple* and tran. The fort is eeparatcH from tbe town by an 

 espUnade, and besides tbe nga's palace oonta u the residence* of the 

 principal merchants and bankers. Stringapcuam, formerly the capital 

 of the iiriiicii>ality of Mysore, stands ou a small but beautiful and 



fertile island iu the rivor Cavery, about 10 miles N. from Mysore. 

 The fortress is at the western extremity of the island. The streets 

 of the town are narrow, crooked, and dirty ; but there are leveral 

 palacea, and a great number of pagodas and moaqoea. On the 4th of 

 May, 1799, the fortress of Seringapatam was carried by assault by the 

 British army, and Tippoo Saib himself was slain while fighting with 

 desperate valour. The population is probably under 10,000. Beside* 

 these there are two other large towns which carry on a considerable 

 commerce, Bamoalori and Bkomobb. 



2. The territories of the Nizam, or Raja, of Uydrabad, or Hyderabad, 

 a Mohammedan prince, occupy the centre of the northern portion of 

 the table-land. The capital is Hydt-abad, a large town, with a popula- 

 tion of about 120,000. It is noted fur its extensive traffic in diamonds. 

 In its neighbouriiood is Qolconda, a fortress on a high hill, from which 

 the whole country once received the name of the kingdom of Golconda. 

 Other remarkable place* uro^Beder, a commercial town, situated on 

 one of the great thoroughfares of the table-land ; Auki;xuabaI), 

 DowLETABAD, and Eloka. 



3. The possessions of the Raja of Berar, or Raja of Nagpoor, extend 

 to the east of Golconda. Nagpoor was formerly iuoludeil in the pro- 

 vince of Berar, but is now in the adjoining province of Gundwana, of 

 which the city of Nagimor is the capital. £llichpoor is the capital of 

 Berar. Tbe palace and seat of government of tbe Raja of Berar is at 

 Nagpoor, and hence he is as frequently styled the Raja of Nagpoor 

 as the liaja of Berar. The state of Berar, or Nagpoor, is one of those 

 over which the British hold full )x>litical sway, with right of inter- 

 ference in case of mismanagement of the public revenue ; and they 

 have a political agent resident at Nagpoor. That portion of Berar 

 which lies to the west of the river Wurdab i^ included in the territory 

 of the Nizam of Hydrabad ; and tbe title of Raja of Nagpoor is con- 

 sequently now perhaps a more appropriate title than Itaja of Berar, a 

 large portion of the territory of Berar having been transferred to the 

 Nizam after the termination of the Muhratta war. Tlie capital, 

 Nagpoor, stands in 21* 9' N. lat, 79° 10' E. long., on the table-laud, 

 about 1100 feet above the sea. It is about seven miles in circum- 

 ference, but is <f a very irregular foi-m, the houses being placed in a 

 straggling manner. The palace of the raja is a large brick building. 

 The population is about 120,000. The prince is a Hindoo of a Mahratta 

 family. BvMar, a town situated in 19° 13' N. lut, 81° 66' E. long., 

 is the capital of the district of Bustar in Gundwana. The di^itrict of 

 Bustar is occupied by a branch of the range of mountains that runs 

 through the Circars parallel to the Bay of Bengal. Nearly the 

 whole of the country consists of hills covered with jimgle and of 

 unhealthy morasses ; the remainder, constituting not mure than one- 

 fifteenth part of the entire area, is very imperfectly cultivated by the 

 scanty population, who live almost in a state of nature, aud subsist 

 on the produce of the chase. Tbe principal rivers in Bustar are the 

 Indravati and the Maliauuddy. The forests yield fine teak timber. 

 The inhabitants are among the most ignorant and superstitious in 

 India. The gemindar, or chie^ of Bustar pays tribute to the Usja of 

 Nagpoor. 



4. The territory of Sattara extends along the Western Qhauta, but 

 reaches far into the table-land. The Raja of Sattara was deposed, and 

 died at the latter end of 1'649. Tbe territory is at present included 

 in the Bombay Presidency, Sattara, the capital, stands in 17° 40' 

 N. lat, 74° 3' K long., 76 miles S. from Poona in a straight line. 

 It is a small town on a rocky and precipitous mountain, with a strong 

 fortress and a handsome palace. In this territory is the ancient town 

 of Bejafork. 



6. The territory of the Baja of Colapore extends likewise along the 

 Western Ghauts, south of the territories of the Raja of Saltan. The 

 prince is a Hindoo. The capital is Colatokk. 



6. The Engliah possessions are partly annexed to the government 

 of Madras and partly to that of Bombay. Only the Ceded Districts, 

 or Balaghauts, belong to Madras. [Balaobauts.] They contain the 

 fortresses of Oootydroog and Bellary. Two districts are annexed to 

 the presidency of Bombay, namely, Darwar and tbe Deccan ; tbe first 

 lying south of the territories of the rajas of Colapore and Sattara, and 

 the second lying north of it In Darwar is the town of Darwar, and 

 in tbe Deccan are the towns of ARHBDNUuoun and Poona. Poona, 

 in 18° 30' N. lat, 73° 62' E. long., is situated at the confluence of tbe 

 rivers Moola and Moota. It is about 80 miles 8.E. from Bombay, 

 direct distance. Poona is a handsome city, aud contains a population 

 of 100,000. Tbe British have a cantonment a little to the west of 

 Poona, which is laid out in wide streets and well arranged. Near 

 Poona are the curious cave-temples of Carlee, and the town uf Nattuck, 

 which has 27,000 inhabitants. 



Of the higher lands which endrole the table-land the most northern 

 portion is the elevated table-land of Omercuntuc, which lies between 

 22° and 23° N. Ut, 80° 30' and 82° 30' E. long. It rises considerably 

 above the surrounding tracts, but its elevation is not known. On its 

 eastern declivity rises the river Sone, and the Nerbudda traverxia it 

 in its length from east to west until it leave* it near Mundla. The 

 table-land of Omercuntuc is tbe central link by which the higher 

 lands of the Deccan are unite<l to those which extend to the north of 

 the Nerbudda. Below Mundla the high lands contiguous to the 

 tab.e-land extend westward on both sidt s of the narrow valley of the 

 Nerbudda iu extensive masses, which near 79° E. long, take Uie form 



