140 On the Coal fy Iron Mines of Tdlcheer $ Ungool, $c. [Feb. 



tants of the plains of Oorissa, who are bad enough. Their craftiness 

 is beyond any thing credible. I have travelled a great deal during my 

 residence in India, and had much intercourse with the different 

 classes of natives, but never did I meet with such provoking knaves 

 as the people of the Gurhjat (hill states). It is next to impossible to 

 obtain any correct information even on the most trivial subjects. 

 Every question put by a stranger is considered and reconsider- 

 ed, ere a reply is given, and that, too, is an interrogation as to the 

 object you have in asking it. And should you ask the distance from 

 one place to another, you will be answered at random, or told, 

 " I don't know ; I have never been there ; I was born in this village ; 

 so was my father," and such like; — this is to prevent your asking them 

 to go with you and show the path, and if you take them, they will lead 

 you by the most tortuous route. 



I was informed that it is more than any ryot's head is worth to 

 give information regarding the internal economy of the state, or 

 about its resources, or, indeed, on any subject. With such people to deal 

 with, it is not surprising that very little information has been 

 gained by me during such a hurried trip. What I have obtained 

 regarding the Hingolae mines, was from an ascetic, to whom I made a 

 suitable present. I also heard of coal and iron mines in Bumurra- 

 gurh, from a merchant of Cuttack, and accordingly despatched an 

 intelligent peon to examine them, and to bring specimens, &c. 



There is no road along the banks of the Brahmenee, but an ir- 

 regular and narrow footpath ; indeed there are no hackery roads at 

 all. The only road of any consequence is that leading from Cuttack 

 through Dhenkennalgurh, past Kurugpursad and Mungulpoor, and on 

 to Boad ; it is tolerably wide and smooth, and is much frequented by 

 Bunjaruhs, who bring cotton, iron, and turmeric in return for salt 

 and tobacco. From Mungulpoor, onwards, the road is nearly due east 

 and west. 



Remarks on the Water Carriage for Coal, $c. fyc. 

 The Brahmenee is navigable for good sized boats from the end of 

 June to the middle of December, and sometimes later. Coal could be 

 laden in small canoes and conveyed to Kurugpursad at most seasons 

 of the year indeed. The Dhenkennal boatmen assert that small boats 

 only can navigate the river above that place at any season owing to 

 the numerous rocks ; this is however not to be relied upon, for there 

 are but few, which could be removed at a trifling expense. 



