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



Being anxious to push on, and get out of this inhospitable track, 

 I packed up and resumed my march at G p. m.; as long as it was 

 day-light we got on tolerably well, although the road had been 

 obstructed for miles together with trees felled and thrown across, 

 but as soon as the evening closed, our troubles commenced ; the heat 

 was oppressive beyond measure, and not a drop of water was to be 

 found to quench the tormenting thirst my followers were suffering 

 from ; we had been led to expect some from the bed of a large 

 torrent two coss distant from our camp, but upon reaching it, the guide 

 and coolies all denied there being any. A poor coolie was taken to 

 task by one of the Kunds for offering to point out where it was. I 

 would have resented this in the most summary manner, but I knew 

 that we were completely at their mercy, for they had taken us off the 

 road, and were leading us over a most rugged path, and whenever 

 chance led us on to the high road, (which was a very excellent one), 

 they halted, and pretended they had lost their way ; then after hunting 

 for some time, led us again into the villainous track by which, after five 

 and a half hours' toil we reached Jaumunkeera. This is a large village 

 in the centre of the valley, which is here open and well cultivated; the 

 distance was nine miles and three quarters, and by the better one which 

 the Moonshee followed, only eight and a half. We rested in a paddy 

 field near the village till 4 o'clock the next morning (25th May) at which 

 hour I attempted to move onwards, but the Kunds tried to detain me, 

 refusing to allow the Burorumma coolies to go on with us, or to get others 

 that day in their room. I would not be trifled with, and commenced my 

 march. Their next step was to deny any knowledge of the road ; it then 

 became high time to put a stop to this insolence ; I brought the ring- 

 leaders to their senses with the help of the " argumentum bacculinum," 

 a road was pointed out, and a relief of coolies arrived forthwith. I had 

 proceeded about two miles, when I discovered that the guides were play- 

 ing me the same game that those had done on the previous night ; I met 

 a Paun* who was just returning from the very place I was proceed- 

 ing to, so I promised him a reward, and took him with me. He soon led 

 me on to a good, and much frequented road to Burghat, the spot 

 where supplies had been collected for me by the Baumurra people, 

 and which I reached at 11 a. m. much fatigued, having travelled eleven 

 miles. I took shelter in a hut that had been prepared for me by 

 the sepahees, of green boughs, on the edge of the Burghat nulla ; in this 

 I passed the day with comparative comfort ; some of my people, how- 

 ever, suffered very severely from thirst and exposure to the sun. 



* A person of low caste ; they make the best guides, for being given to make plun- 

 dering excursions, they are acquainted with every nook and corner. 



