1839.] Lieut. Kittoe's Journey through the Forests of Orissa. 367 



Art. III. — Account of a Journey from Calcutta via Cuttack and 

 Pooree to Sumbulpur, and from thence to Mednipur through the 

 Forests of Orissa. By Lieut. M. Kittoe. 



As the country west-south-west of Mednipur, for upwards of four 

 hundred miles through which the high road to Nagpur and Bombay 

 passes, is noted down even in the most improved maps as terra incog, 

 nita, therefore, by most considered as such, a brief account of my 

 recent travels in that direction may not be uninteresting. 



I am unable, for many reasons, to give very minute details, first, in 

 consequence of the hurried manner in which I had to travel ; next, 

 from the very inclement season during which I did so; and again, 

 owing to the great reluctance which the natives of Orissa have to afford 

 any information, and what is more, to their decided silence ; it being 

 (as I have always had occasion to remark) more than the life of an 

 individual is worth were he to be detected by his chief in divulging 

 the scanty resources of his country. 



About the middle of April 1838, Captain G. Abbott having fallen 

 an early victim to the deadly climate of the Keunjur and Mohur- 

 bhunj j ungles, to the distracting knavery of the people he had to deal 

 with, and the annoyance and exposure they caused him to suffer,* 

 I was appointed to succeed him, and directed to proceed immediately 

 to Sumbulpur to take charge of the survey of the Mednipur and 

 Raepur post road. 



There then being no possibility of travelling by dawk by the post 

 road with any degree of safety or comparative comfort at such a 

 season, I resolved on proceeding via Cuttack and the valley of the 

 Mahanuddi, through the Burmool pass and onwards by Boad and 

 Sohnpur, i. e. following the course of the river, as the surest means of 

 obtaining the first necessary of life, viz. good water. 



I left Calcutta for Cuttack by dawk on the evening of the 17th 

 April, where I arrived on the morning of the fifth day. I travelled at 

 night, and halted during the day at Mednipur, Jullaisur, Ballaisur, 

 and Bareepur successively. 



On reaching Cuttack I found so much difficulty in procuring 

 bearers to take me to Burmool (where I expected a relay from 

 Sumbulpur) that I resolved on going on to Pooree, and from thence 

 across the country to that place ; but a set having at last agreed to go 

 for something more than the usual travelling rates, I struck the bargain 



* Captain Abbott commenced his travels early in January, 1838, was taken ill 

 on the 22nd March near Keunjurgurh, and died two days after his arrival at Sumbul- 

 pur on the 3d April following. 



