562 Notes upon a tour through the Rajmahal Hills. [No. 7. 



roads are improved by rain, it being the agent by which the red oxide 

 which is always forming on the surface of the ore by the absorption 

 of oxygen is spread over the incoherent particles, which are soon united 

 into a hard mass. 



Three miles in an easterly direction from Naggulia on the left or 

 northern bank of the More River and opposite the village of Kattanga 

 and near a village named Tangsuli, is a small bed of sandstone with 

 minute threads of coal and an abundance of bituminous shale wedged 

 in between gneiss rocks. 



Three miles north of Naggulia are two small gneiss hills named 

 Parjore ; from the summit of which there is a good view. 



Rajmahal Hills, \6th January, 18ol. — Direction west six miles to 

 Sadipur Buharow. The road is along the right bank of the More 

 River through Sakua Jungle and cultivation ; passed some fine Strychnos 

 and soondree trees, from the latter is obtained a bright red dye chiefly 

 used in dying wools and silk ; the bushes on the banks of the River were 

 laden with Abrus precatorius, bearing the pretty red and black bead-like 

 seed. At the second mile crossed the More, a broad river about five 

 hundred yards in width during the rainy season, but now a wilderness 

 of sand with a small but cheerful stream of water. 



At Kumardah on the left bank of the river about eighty light boats 

 are built during the year, they are then laden with charcoal and during 

 the rainy season floated down to Cutwa on the Bhagiratti ; the char- 

 coal is highly remunerative but the boats merely sell for their prime 

 cost. The presence of steamers on the Ganges and Bhagiratti have 

 much reduced the number of boats that were formerly built at this 

 place. The wood used in building the boats is sal, which is brought 

 from the plains and hills of Tuppeh Belpatta, a few miles to the north- 

 west of the village, that grown on the hills being considered the hard- 

 est and most durable. 



Immediately after the first heavy fall of rain in June, and after the 

 dangerous bore called the Hurpa has passed down, immense rafts of 

 small timber, fire-wood and bamboos are floated down the river to- 

 wards the Bhagiratti* 



The Hurpa above mentioned is a huge wave caused by a sudden fall 

 of rain in the hills which rushes down the dry bed of the river with a 

 tremendous roar, throwing up in front of itself a cloud of dry sand ; 

 natives and cattle are said to be drowned every year by this wave. 



