TRACTS OF COUNTRY ON THE KfSTNAH. 



133 



deadly fever appears to prevail there all the year round. 

 The great festival at Purwuttum is held in March and April, 

 perhaps the healthiest time of the year : still the amount of 

 sickness and suffering among the pilgrims is very great. 



The Temple of Purwuttum faces east and west : the east 

 face is the principal entrance : a stone road commencing at 

 the east tower leads in an easterly direction to the river, 

 distant about 1J mile. It winds down a very steep hill. 

 There are several small dewals on the way ; and a little 

 pagoda, every stone of which is elaborately carved, stands 

 near the river. The Kistna here comes from the north 

 north-west, and takes an abrupt turn again to the north and 

 by west. 



The banks on the opposite side of the river are precipi- 

 tous and are not accessible. From Purwuttum another stone 

 road proceeds westerly to the river, distant about a mile as 

 the crow flies ; but the descent to the river being too ab- 

 rupt, the road slants down the heights running parallel to 

 the stream for about two miles, making the distance from 

 the Temple to the river three miles. Here there is a ferry, 

 and a stone road, and stairs ascend the heights on the op- 

 posite side of the river, from whence there is a road to 

 Hyderabad. A large nullah on either side of the stream 

 empties itself into the Kistna. At this point, a deep deposit 

 of alluvium and hillocks of sand are found at the mouth 

 of all these nullahs, covered for the most part with the tall 

 reed of which the native pen is made. Course of the river 

 south-west to north-east, by compass. 



Crossing the river, I marched due west into the tract of 

 country called impenetrable, and halted in a large nullah 

 about 5 miles distant. After mounting the heights on the 

 banks of the river, the country is, comparatively speaking, 



flat ; the soil is red,, covered with jungle grass ; the black- 



