1839.] Lieut. Kittoe's Journey through the Forests of Orissa. 479 



serious frays are not uncommonly the consequence. Formerly the com- 

 missioners and political officers used to interfere and enforce payment 

 to the merchants, but I believe this bad practice has been discontinued, 

 I think that if a few merchants were licensed to proceed into the Gurhjat, 

 previously manifesting their goods, and paying a light tax to cover the 

 expense of a registry of them, and of their fair market value, upon an 

 understanding that the settlement of any unadjusted claims on any 

 Zemindar would be insisted on to the extent of a reasonable profit, much 

 good might accrue, and a great deal more merchandize, both European 

 and country, would find a ready sale with advantage to both parties. 



The merchants seemed to agree to the terms proposed, when the 

 motley group retired and left me to enjoy as much rest as the steam- 

 ing heat and stunning noise of frogs and chicadas would allow of. 



27th May. I rose at a very early hour, when having dismissed half 

 the guard of the Ramgurh Battalion and that of the 19th N. I. and 

 the Political Agent's Mooktar, whom I had yesterday directed to return 

 to their stations via Sumbulpur by the Baghlot ghat and the road which 

 had been hidden from me, I proceeded on my journey. I walked several 

 miles through a thick but low jungle, along a very good road, to a place 

 called Sonamoonda, where I rested a little to allow the stragglers to 

 come up ; thus far my course was a little to the northward of west, 

 having the hills at a short distance to the left, the path then began to 

 wind considerably more than any obstacles rendered it necessary, and 

 upon the whole in a southerly direction. The forest is very thin, with no 

 underwood, and. the ground undulates considerably ; there are several 

 large nullahs and a great many small water-courses, almost all of which 

 would require bridging. The next place I reached was a large village 

 of Guallas, called Korapeeta, situated on an elevated spot in the 

 centre of an extensive plain, on to which the Deogurh valley opens ; 

 from hence the ground (still undulating) has a perceptible fall to- 

 wards the Brahmeni river, on the banks of which, at a place called 

 Barsing, I encamped for the day. I took up my quarters in one of 



several large huts which Major W 's Mooktar and the guard of 



the Ramgurh Battalion had had constructed while awaiting the arrival 

 of my predecessor. I have learnt sufficient regarding the oppressive 

 conduct of these knaves to satisfactorily account for the Mooktar's 

 anxiety to prevent my travelling by this route ; it appeared that he 

 had passed himself off with the credulous Zemindars here, as the Poli- 

 tical Agent's assistant and friend ! ! — and used to have ddllis, &c. &c. sent 



