1839] and St athtical of the Ceded Districts. 11$ 



prophecy, that they will one day regain the lost possessions of the 

 family. The next of kin, a young boy about 10 years of age, resides at 

 present in Annagundi under the care of the Dalwai, or hereditary prime 

 minister, enjoying a handsome pension of 16,532 rupees per annum, and 

 the revenue of a few villages, from the British government ; also of cer- 

 tain districts on the north bank of the Tumbuddra from the Nizam. The 

 descendants of the Harponhullv, Raidroog, Punganoor and other chiefs 

 are likewise handsomely pensioned. The Nabob of Kurnool pays an 

 annual peshkush for his dominions of 80,000 Company's rupees. It 

 was settled at a lac ; but, in consequence of the difference of coins* 

 amounts only to the sum just specified. 



Physical aspect.-— A considerable diversity exists in the physical 

 aspect of the country. The general character however is that of an 

 extensive plateau elevated on the shoulders of the western and eastern 

 ghats, the plain of which forms a considerable angle with the horizon, 

 inclining towards the eastern coast of the peninsula. For instance, we 

 find the height of the plain east of the western ghats at Belgaum in the 

 Southern Mahratta Country to be 2,500 feet above the level of the sea — 

 at Bellary 1,600 feet; the average of the plain east of Bellary and Gooty 

 1,182 feet — proceeding easterly to Cuddapah 507 feet, and the average 

 on the eastern limit of the district 450 feet. The western ghats clearly 

 form the anticlinal line, to which the arenaceous and schistous eastern 

 ranges are more or less conformable. The plain has another and more 

 gentle dip towards the north, viz. to the beds of the Kistnah and Tum- 

 buddra, rising southerly as it passes the frontierto Nundidroog in Mysore, 

 whence it slopes to the southward, forming the table-land on which 

 stands the cantonment of Bangalore. The bed of the Kistnah on the 

 northern frontier of the CededDistricts is 1,000 feet above the level of the 

 sea : the plain rises as we proceed southerly to the centre of the district to 

 1,500 feet; on the north frontier of Mysore to 2,223 feet ; at Nundi- 

 droog to about 3,500 feet ; whence it sinks southerly to Bangalore, 

 which is about 3,000 feet above the surface of the ocean. The granitic 

 cluster of Nundidroog constitutes the axis of elevation of this part of 

 the country. Towards the centre of the district, the surface of the 

 plain presents a monotonous and almost treeless extent, bounded by 

 the horizon, and unbroken save by a few rocky elevations that stand 

 forth abruptly from the sheet of black soil, like rocks from the ocean. 

 The country from Bellary to Tarputry, and from Pennaconda, Gooty and 

 Adoni to the Kistnah, is much of a similar nature. Sir T. Munro might 

 well observe that these districts are more destitute of trees than any part 

 of Scotland he ever saw, and that the traveller scarcely meets with one 



