372 Lieut. Kittoe's Journey through the Forests of Orissa. [May, 



other parts of Orissa. The stratum of soil is generally very thin, the 

 gneiss and granite rocks protrude through it in all directions, in some 

 places rising into small hillocks, in others, appearing in continuous 

 and gently undulating pavements (as it were) for considerable extents- 

 I neither saw nor heard bird nor beast, except the shrill and disagree- 

 able note of a large species of Caprimulgus, which swarms throughout 

 the forests. I was sadly annoyed during the day time, with the in- 

 cessant, and distracting noise of an insect called " jhinkare" (the 

 chicddd t) 



The Mahanuddi at Korasingha was broad, with a sandy bed ; at 

 this place it is divided by numerous small islands, thickly wooded, 

 the bed is rocky throughout ; the navigation during the rains must be 

 very dangerous. The rocks are apparently granite, and present a very 

 curious appearance, for in many places the different kinds of which gra- 

 nite is composed are to be seen in serpentine strata distinct from each 

 other, the talc adhering to the quartz and felspar in large masses — all 

 the rocks are more or less in a decomposed state ; garnet crystals are 

 common, and very beautiful ; garnets of a small size are found in the 

 sand ; of a number I had collected on a former occasion near Cuttack> 

 some were pronounced by a native jeweller to be rubies. I was inform- 

 ed that poor people gain a livelihood by seeking for gems, and that 

 rubies of some weight are occasionally found; the purchasers prove 

 them by heating them to a red heat, and if when cooled they have 

 retained their color, they are valued accordingly. 



The thermometer this day did not rise above 110°, I consequently 

 had some little rest, and continued my journey early in the evening^ 

 reaching Boad before sunset. I was detained some time on account 

 of the guides not coming ; this was designed on the part of the Raja, who 

 is very uncourteous to any Europeans from whom he may have no chance 

 of gaining anything ; I had sent to him in the morning to announce my 

 arrival near his capital, but he did not even deign to send an answer 

 or a single Paik to attend upon me ; his conduct was very different 

 when our troops were parading the country the previous year. The 

 impudence and haughtiness of these semi-barbarians is proverbial ; 

 they were treated with much less ceremony by their Marhatta 

 rulers than by the British Government; forbearance on our part is 

 considered weakness by them, but at the slightest shew of resentment 

 they are ready to cringe at your feet. I had to wait upwards of half an 

 hour, during which period I was pestered with complaints from oppressed 

 ryots and bunjara merchants. Among the latter was an old man who 

 had been in camp with us in 1836-37, to beg of the Commissioner to 

 espouse his cause, and make the Raja, and Nuncumkonwur (the Kund 



