378 Lieut. Kittoe's Journey through the Forests of Orissa. QMay, 



vanish in the horizon to the south-east in the direction of Ungool ; in 

 this range, (the highest peaks of which are perhaps 1000 feet) there are 

 several ghats, which was readily admitted. That of Baumunsassun, 

 near which the present road passes, is the first, next to it is one called 

 Kurorumma, then Oorsing, all north of the proper direction of Medni- 

 pur, lastly the ghat of Burrorumma about eight or ten miles further 

 south; it was by this latter (which had been visited by one of Mr. 

 Babington's people) that I determined on proceeding. 



My first march from Sumbulpur was to a large village called 

 Bahum, having many fine mango topes and good cultivation, chiefly 

 sugar cane ; the fields are irrigated from a large nulla called Maltaijoor, 

 which rising in the adjacent hills empties itself into the Mahanuddi 

 at Munesswur, a village about three miles below Sumbulpur; its 

 course through the plains (from the foot of the Burrorumma range to 

 the Mahanuddi) is very circuitous, it is navigable during the heavy 

 floods, but dry for the greater part of the year, except that a plentiful 

 supply of excellent water is always to be obtained by digging in the 

 sand. 



The distance travelled this stage was eleven miles and three-quarters 

 measured by the Perambulator, but it is certainly no more than eight as 

 the crow flies, for on leaving Sumbulpur, I was led for upwards of a 

 mile in a direction at right angles to that I had ultimately to reach ; I 

 was then led considerably to the southward ere I gained the proper 

 course. Such an account may excite surprise in the minds of those 

 who have not visited these regions of knaves and savages, but so it is 

 in reality. 



Several small villages were passed a little to the right and left of the 

 road ; there is a good portion of arable and clear land in the vicinity of 

 each, particularly of those nearer Sumbulpur. One small village close 

 to which the road passed, particularly attracted my attention, the huts 

 being built on the bare white granite rocks, which have the appearance 

 of so many terraces ; on one of them I observed veins of quartz about 

 an inch wide crossing each other at right angles, resembling a large 

 cross — close to this was another curiosity in the shape of a Goolur tree 

 (Ficus glomerata,) growing on the bare rock, on which the roots 

 were spread and interwoven in a most curious manner ; the main root 

 appears to be sunk in a narrow fissure beneath the trunk : it has a 

 most singular appearance. There is not much jungle except on the 

 rocky and unfavourable spots, and the only large trees I saw were on 

 a small hillock about one-third of the way, beside the village of Dur- 

 riapulli, from whence to an elevated spot where there are rocks of 

 micaceous schist the country has a perceptible rise, and undulates 



