1839.] Lieut. Kittoes Journey through the Forests of Orissa. 375 



left bank of the river of this space; the fort occupies about three-quarters 

 of a mile. It is fast falling to ruin ; the Raja no longer resides in the old 

 Noor } (citadel, palace) which is occupied by some of his officers ; there 

 is a miserable garrison of a few ragamuffins dressed as sepahees, and 

 some twenty or thirty suwars whose steeds are like Pharaoh's lean 

 kind. The walls are in a very dilapidated state, having suffered 

 much from the effects of the extraordinary flood in 1836. The bam- 

 boo thicket, which was cut down during the time the territory was in 

 our possession, used to act as a breakwater, and protected the walls, 

 which are very ill-constructed of unhewn stones. The ditch and 

 swamp which defended the other three faces are in a great measure 

 filled up and overgrown with weeds, and must render that quarter of 

 the town very unhealthy. There are many good dwelling houses of 

 one and two stories, built of stone ; there are also many temples, but 

 few of them have any pretensions to elegance, and the generality are 

 covered with most obscene figures badly executed. 



There is no appearance of any great trade being carried on, nor is 

 there so much as the sight of such a large and populous place would 

 lead you to suppose. Merchants concentrate here from Cuttack, Bud- 

 druc, Nagpur, Bhopal, Chutteesgurh, and Sirgoojah, and barter their 

 goods ; those of the lower provinces bringing salt, cocoanuts, cotton 

 cloths, spices, brass utensils, &c. exchange the same with those of the 

 central for wheat, gram, lac, and cotton ; gold in small lumps is also 

 taken in payment, and occasionally diamonds. The only produce 

 of the province exported, consists of oil seeds, cotton, and rice, which are 

 taken by bullocks, and (during the rains) sent by water to the Mo- 

 gulbundi of Orissa. 



Sumbulpur has always been famous for its gold and diamonds ; as 

 far back as 1766 a Mr. Motte was sent expressly by Lord Clive to 

 open a trade in them, and to explore the mines, but was unsuccessful 

 on account of the disturbed state of the country, and the inclemency 

 of the season, he having arrived there in the rains; two other Euro- 

 peans who accompanied him died of fever, and he was himself nigh 

 losing his life. An account of his expedition is to be found in the 

 1st Vol. of the Asiatic Annual Register, p. 50, published in 1800. The 

 perusal of this narrative would amply repay the reader for his 

 trouble. 



The people of the country are too apathetic and indolent to attempt 

 to work the mines, or rather to seek for them ; for the diamonds are at 

 present obtained by washing the red earth (their matrix) which is brought 

 down by the Heebe-nuddi, and empties itself into the Mahanuddi, 

 some miles above Sumbulpur, from the mountains to the north-east, 



