﻿7-5 NARRATIVE OF A ROUTE 



and faid, that, as I Ihould quit the Rajah's territory 

 the enfuing day, I fhould have no further occafion 

 for his fervices. Having then delivered to me two 

 men as guides, to direct me to the gauts, he took his 

 leave and departed. 



As any delay in my prefent fituation might be at- 

 tended with inconvenience, I refolved to vifit the 

 neareft gaut of Punkypidter^ this evening, with a view 

 to afcerlain if it was pafTable for the cattle- Setting 

 out accordingly at three P. M. I croffed the Myar 

 river four times, and leaving it, with a very lofty 

 rock, called Lilcauntdto, on my right hand, I en- 

 tered the gaut, where, after afcending over fix ranges 

 of hills, and crofTing the beds of feveral torrents, I 

 faw enough to convince me that it would be impaf- 

 fable for my cattle. The bed of the Myar river is 

 very rocky, and unequal in its depth of water, which 

 in fome places, from the defcent being very abrupt, 

 is feen dafliing over the rocks; and as the fritlion oc- 

 cafioncd by the rapidity of the ftream makes them 

 very llippery, the paflage of the river, though not 

 more than twenty yards wide, is very dangerous. 

 This gaut is at leaft eight miles from Dcrry. Fine 

 Saul iimbtx is produced in thefe forefts; and I ob- 

 fervedfome Mowa trees of very large growth, and abun- 

 dance of bamboos. The hills abound with very plen- 

 tiful fprings of the cleareft water. On my return I 

 met a tiger, and faw numerous impreffions of tigers' 

 feet. It was nearly dark by the time I reached my 

 tent, and I went to reft with the intention of going 

 round in the morning to the other gaut. 



Feb. 19. We fet off at the dawn of day, and, 

 after proceeding about fix miles through a very thick 

 jungle, arrived at the village o^ Jcerah^ from which 

 the Goands had fled, and taken refuge upon the hills 

 to the northward of the village. By looking with 

 attention, I could difcern them among the rocks 

 and bulhes ; but all our endeavours to procure 



any 



