228 THE HIGHLANDS OF CENTRAL INDIA. 



Gharri is situated on the edge of a table-land of considerable 

 extent, but of very irregular outline ; on the north winding 

 round the heads of long ravines which drain down into the val- 

 ley below, and to wards the south coming suddenly to a steep drop 

 into the plains of Berar. The more open parts of this table-land 

 have at some remote period been cultivated, the trap boulders 

 having been cleared off and piled into rough walls enclosing 

 large square fields. The land is in many places very deep 

 and rich, and, the elevation being about two thousand feet, it 

 would no doubt grow tea and coffee well. Now it is utterly 

 waste, the lazy Bheels being satisfied with their subsidy from 

 Government, while want of roads, and probably a bad climate, 

 deter the cultivators of the neighbouring plains. There is 

 plenty of water on the top, and one day it will doubtless be 

 the seat of a considerable settlement. 



At Gharri T. went out in the evening, and found two 

 sambar stags feeding on the pods of some acacias on the site 

 of a deserted village. Being a capital stalker and a good 

 shot, he got close in upon them, and bagged both with a right 

 and left shot. Next day we crossed the plateau to a place 

 called Bingara, near which T. had a survey station to put 

 up. The road for some distance lay over a tolerably level 

 plain of black soil, covered by a thin scrub of teak poles and 

 thorny bushes ; but presently, leaving the plateau, passed on 

 to a very narrow ridge which forms the backbone of these 

 singular hills throughout their length. In some places an 

 exceedingly steep slope of a thousand feet or so led down 

 from this saddle-back to the plains on either side, leaving 



much denser population, and more farm stock, will be required before such can 

 be the case. The old district of Nimar however and particularly the basin of 

 the Tapti valley surrounding the large city of Burhanpur which is here 

 referred to is an exceptional tract, fully prepared for the general introduction 

 of irrigation, and ready to pay for it. 



