1850.] in Southern and Central India. 301 



I descended the lofty bank which cannot be less than 45 or 50 feet in 

 height, whilst the breadth from bank to bank must have been ^ a mile, 

 we measured three hundred yards of dry sand, and the remainder was 

 about 800. There were a number of people called Reddies, sitting 

 on the opposite bank, watching our motions : I began to light watch 

 fires very early. 



Tuesday February 29th, 1820. — We arrived at Kaukusnorr leaving 

 our large tents behind us, the road being impassable for bullocks, 

 horses and elephants. From the steepness of the rocky bank we were 

 obliged to make a considerable circuit amongst the hills ; we crossed 

 several times during the morning a river which we were assured was 

 never dried up during the hottest season. In two places, I observed on 

 its bank masses of a rock resembling the iron clay of Midnapore, which 

 contained pieces of black iron ore resembling the slag of a blacksmith's 

 forge. Our road lay through the hills and in a very circular route. In 

 the afternoon we travelled along the river side to Perunapullee a small 

 village with four small houses. Near it a rapid torrent rushed from the 

 summit of Papeoondah into the river. We returned by torch light. 



This was the limit of our journey by land. 



Wednesday, March 1st, 1820. — We left the village of Kaukusnorr in 

 one of the rude canoes belonging to the cultivators, who are here called 

 Reddies, dwelling on both sides of the water. I had first ascertained 

 the temperature of the water at sunrise and found it 10 degrees higher 

 than that of the atmosphere, which was 64°. The temperature rose 

 and fell repeatedly during our short voyage to Peruntaputtee. On 

 landing I examined the temperature of the mountain stream, 68° ; that 

 of the air being then 72° ; about 9 o'clock. After breakfast we again 

 betook ourselves to the boat and proceeded in an easterly direction as 

 far as the village of Poloor where the river takes rather a sudden turn 

 to the southward, and is confined by the bases of the lofty hills of the 

 Papicondah pass which we estimated at 2000 feet above the river level, 

 we proceeded, still confined by these lofty banks, until we found our- 

 selves distant about a mile from a village called Sri Raca and a mile and 

 half from Caroor both Company's villages and on the right bank of the 

 river. At this place we found two masted boats proceeding with sails at 

 about the rate of two miles an hour up the river for wood, empty ; they 

 belonged to Rajamundry, distant about 15 coss. Polavarum about 7 coss. 



