170 ON ORISSA PROPER 



cles of earth having a vent underneath, and a false bottom made of 

 twigs and straw. The strongly impregnated brine filtering through the 

 grass, &c. is carried, by a channel dag in the ground, to a spot at hand, 

 surrounded with an enclosure of mats, in the centre of which a number of 

 oblong earthern pots, generally about two hundred, are cemented together 

 by mud into the form of a dome, under which is a fire place or oven. The 

 brine is poured into this collection of pots or choolahs, and boiled until a 

 sufficient degree of evaporation has taken place, when the salt is taken out 

 as it forms, with iron ladles, and collected in heaps in the open air. The 

 heaps are afterwards thatched with reeds, chiefly the Nal (Arundo karka) 

 and remain in this state until sold, or removed by the Officers of the 

 Agency. 



Occasional patches of rice cultivation are to be met with in this portion 

 of the Rajwara producing sufficient grain for local consumption, and the 

 Raja of Kanka exports even a considerable quantity both to Calcutta and 

 Cuttack. The sea all along the coast yields abundance of fine fish, of which 

 upwards of sixty-one edible kinds are enumerated, by the natives. Those 

 most prized by Europeans are the Sole or Banspatti, Tapsiya (Mango' 

 Fish,)Phirki (Pomfret,) Gajkarma (Whiting,) Hilsa (Sable Fish,) Kharan- 

 ga or Mullet, a fish called the Bijay Ram something resembling Mackarel, 

 and the Sal or Salia. The Chilka Lake produces noble Bhekti or Cockup. 

 The value of the excellent Turtle, Oysters, Crabs, and Prawns, found off 

 False Point, and in other parts, was unknown to the natives prior to their 

 subjection to the British rule, but they are now of course eagerly sought 

 after, to supply the stations of Balasore, Cuttack and Juggunnath. The 

 great season for fishing is in the winter months, from October to February, 

 whilst the wind and the surf are moderate. At this time all along the 

 Northern coast the fishermen go out in parties of from twenty to thirty 

 each, with large nets, which they set up before the commencement of flood 

 tide, with the aid of bamboo poles, in the form of a vast triangle, having the 

 base open towards the shore. As the tide retires the fishermen take in 



and close up the nearest nets ? thus driving the fish into the apex of the 



