1840.] The Hodesum (improperly called KolehanJ. 699 



withdrawing them from all allegiance to the Rajas of Moherbunj and 

 Singbhoom. 



Singbhoom, including the Kolehan, lies between 21° 30' and 23° 

 north latitude, and 85° and 86° east longitude ; it is bounded to the 

 north by Chota Nagpoor and Patkoom ; to the east by the Jungle 

 Mehals and Baumunghatte ; to the south by petty states, or tuppahs, 

 subservient to Moherbunj, and by Keonjur ; and to the east by 

 Gangpoor and Chota Nagpoor. These limits comprise a fine open 

 tract of country, in most parts exceedingly productive, in others stony 

 and barren, and separated from the circumjacent countries, above 

 enumerated, by rocky hills and jungles. Singbhoom Proper consists 

 of an extent of fine open arable land, to the north of the Kolehan, 

 above 45 miles east and west, and about 18 in breadth, comprising 

 the talooks of Khursawa, Kera, and Seryekela, also a portion of 

 similar land, about 20 miles square, to the north-east, called Koo- 

 choong, attached to Seryekela, and along the west of the Kolehan, an 

 imperfectly defined extent of mountains and jungles, including Pora- 

 haut and Anundpoor. 



The Kolehan as now constituted, comprehends a tract of open un- 

 dulating country, averaging from sixty miles in length north and 

 south, from thirty-five to sixty in breadth. It is divided into two 

 departments by a step about 500 feet high, running east and west 

 across it. The southern part is rich in soil, and beautiful in appear- 

 ance ; but an absence of inhabitants, and proper culture, gives it an air 

 of desolation. This happily is becoming fast remedied by the return 

 of large families of Bhooians, former inhabitants, who had been ex- 

 pelled by the Hos. The lower country north of the step is exceeding- 

 ly populous, but in many parts stoney and barren. The westerly 

 Peers are situated among hills and vast jungles, containing a few 

 fertile vallies ; and Sarnda in the far south, is one mass of mountains, 

 clothed in forests, where the miserable inhabitants, few and solitary, 

 can scarce struggle for mastery with the tiger. 



The Peers are twenty-six in number, Anjoodhia, Assuntullia, Aula, 

 Burkela, Burburria or Birwarpeer, Burpeer or Jyntpeeree, Cherye, 

 Chynpoor, Goomwa, Govindpoor, Gopinathpoor, Jamda, Kai'nawa, 

 Kooilda, Kotegurh, Lota, Natooa, Lalgurh, Purliong, Rajabapa, 

 Oonchdee, Rengra, Rela, Sath Buntria, Toe, and Sarnda. 



