1844.] Note on the Navigation of the river Nurbudda. 517 



finds its way contracted to within half its usual breadth between two 

 hilly ranges, and its course being much impeded, so as to render navi- 

 gation impracticable, by large masses and elevated ridges of the 

 rock. 



" Passing higher up the stream from Mundleysir, the Northern 

 bank, after about thirty miles, becomes rocky and precipitous, and 

 consists of gently inclined beds, chiefly of green stone slate, containing 

 interposed mica in small grains. But the island of Mundatta and 

 part of the opposite bank appear mostly to consist of horn stone slate 

 of a reddish or greenish grey, and sometimes porphyritic. Above this 

 for a considerable distance is, on each bank, a very wild woody tract, 

 resembling that already noticed below Chiculdah, excepting that the 

 river is in general deep, and less obstructed by rocks. 



" This part consists of a succession of low hills and deep ravines 

 and water-courses, is covered with high thick forests, and is scarcely 

 capable of being travelled in most parts for seven or eight miles 

 from the river by any but foot passengers. Iron ore abounds ; but the 

 country being almost desolate, it is only smelted at Kantcole and 

 Chandgurh, for the supply of the Indore and neighbouring markets. 

 It is of a good quality, but from the imperfect mode of working, the 

 metal is little valued, excepting for common purposes. The hilly tract 

 below Chiculdah is better populated, chiefly by wild Bheel tribes ; 

 and nearer Broach on the Southern bank are the Rajpeeply hills, in- 

 habited by the Coolie tribe. In these hills are situated the several 

 cornelian mines, of which a concise account has been given by Doctor 

 Copland, in the first volume of the Bombay Literary Transactions. 

 From Burwaee to Chiculdah, the whole valley, from the Satpoora to 

 the Vindhya mountains, is nearly level, well watered, cultivated, and 

 inhabited." 



Supplement to Note on the Navigation of the Nerbudda River. 

 To make the Note more complete, a few extracts have been made 



from a paper on the Nerbudda river, by Lieut. 

 Vide Note at the end. „ ^ ^ J" J 



E. P. Del'Hoste, 16th Regiment, N. I. to be 



found in the Volume of Transactions of the Bombay Geographical 



Society, from 1836 to 1838. 



