﻿1^8 NARRATIVE OF A ROUTE 



nineteen years of age at the time of his father's de- 

 ceafe, had facceeded him. That his territory con- 

 fifted of two Purgunnahs from the Cummun Zcmeen- 

 dary, viz. Paloonjliah^ and Sunkergherry. He is a 

 Munfubdar of the Empire, and holds the country as a 

 Jagheer^ on confideration of his maintaining a certain 

 body of troops for the fervice of his fovereign. When 

 the Nizam's government was effeftive in Paloon/Iiah, 

 all the roads were much frequented; but fmce the 

 Rajah hsid been refraftory, the roads were fhut up; 

 and feveral horfe merchants who had attempted to pafs 

 through the country, of late years, had been either 

 robbed of their horfcs, or the Rajah had taken them 

 for much lefs than their real value. The only travel- 

 lers who frequented this road at prefent, were the 

 Brinjaries ; and they were only permitted to pafs on 

 condition of paying certain duties ; but even this the 

 Rajah would not have allowed, but from an appre- 

 henfion that the Mahratlas might encourage the wild 

 Goands^ who live in the hills on the north fide of the 

 Godavery^ to plunder his country ; as indeed they had 

 formerly done; when the rapine and murder commit- 

 ted by them, had fo much dillrefled the Tillinghy in- 

 habitants, that they flood in the greatefl dread of thofe 

 favages ever fince. 



From thcfe unfavorable accounts of the PaloonPiah 

 Rajah, I had little reafon to expeft that I fhould get 

 through his country without trouble; which induced 

 me to direft my attention ferioudy to the Goand hills 

 ^x\A jungles, with a view to difcover, if poffible, fome 

 track through them into the Company's territory near 

 the fea coall. 



Aprii^ 26th. After flcirting along the eaft fide of 

 the Seerpour Purgunnah, I arrived near the town of 

 JBef/oor, within four xofs- of the hills and jungles that 

 are inhabited only by" the Goands. My uiformation 

 concerning the Nizam's countrv being at this place 



5 ' ^^^ly 



