23S 



Statistics of the 



[No. 38, 



the size and beauty they often are observed attaining to, is sufficient 

 proof, that their absence is not to be assigned to any fault of soil. 

 Innumerable mountain-fed streams cover the surface, distributing 

 moisture to every portion of the Sircar. Besides these mountain 

 streams, three large rivers flow through a portion of the district, 

 namely., the Sewnee, Gunda and Godavery, into which latter river, 

 all ultimately are disembogued. 



From the general aspect of the Sircar, very opposite conclu- 

 sions of its fertility would be drawn, if viewed either at the cold or 

 hot seasons, all superficial moisture disappearing in the hot weather 

 from the generally emissive nature of the soils, its treeless con- 

 dition, as well as ready drainage, the sloping plainR present; yet 

 the subsoils are not altogether without moisture, formed as they 

 are of wacken beds, and degradation of sundry trap rocks: in 

 their absorbent character, a large reservoir of moisture still exists, 

 which, rising in vapour at the sultry period, tempers the heated at- 

 mosphere by cool nights, for a long time into the hot weather. 



The chain of mountains to the northward, after skirt- 

 Mountains. t ^ e gj rcar f or s j x m ii es j n a direction running east 



and west, suddenly turns towards the south-east, and continues this 

 course for the distance of 16 miles, when it passes the boundary line. 

 The name the first part of the chain is known by, is that of the 

 Sittarah hills, the principal part of which stands within the bounda- 

 ry line of the adjoining Sircar of Doulutabad ; a small portion at its 

 eastern end only jutting out into Pytun ; here the chain inflects, and 

 changes its direction southward, assuming the name of the Mahadeo 

 hills. The height of the Sittarah hills has been trigonometrically as- 

 certained to be 667 feet above the plains of Aurungabad, which gives 

 a general height of 1,767 feet above the sea, the Mahadeo portion 

 * As shown by at * ts highest P oint does not exceed 1,687* feet above 

 the Aneroid the sea ; the broadest part of the chain is at the Pa- 

 Barometer, roondee Ghats, where it measures four miles across ; 

 the narrowest parts do not exceed one mile. The general form the 

 hills present are long flat levels with hammocks and conical emi- 

 nences, having flattened summits, through the sides of the moun- 

 tains, horizontally inclined lines are seen, of a darker colour than 

 the rest of the rock, and often observed projecting in terraces or 

 ledges ; these are the basaltic rocks whose powers of -resisting 

 the effects of weather, are greater than the softer Amygdaloid or 



