408 
OOLCUNDAPETTA. 
village that I passed had something like a wall or a fort to defend 
it; a strong proof that, under the Mussulmaun dynasty, property 
was in a very unprotected state. The country was in general well 
cultivated. 
The Aumildar supplied me plentifully with eggs and milk, for 
which he refused any payment, having orders from Purneah, the 
Dewan of Mysore, to provide me with every thing I wanted. It was 
the same also with respect to my bearers, the Foojadar not permit- 
ing me to pay them, or to give them any thing, saying that Purneah 
would never forgive him if he did; and he watched me so closely, 
that I seldom was able to do it without his knowledge. 
At eight I set off with my usual escort. The country was flat, 
and the road indifferent. At short distances poles were stuck into 
the ground on each side; between them a string was stretched, on 
which were suspended small branches of the mango tree. This 
was probably intended as a compliment; but it also served to mark 
the road. The Mysore bearers were by no means equal to those I 
sent on from Madras; a great many were under the palanquin at 
once, and soon exhausted themselves. 
By eleven o'clock I reached Oolcundapetta, where I found fresh 
bearers. Here I rested under a noble Banian tree, and much enjoyed 
the cool water from some excellent cocoa-nuts which had been 
presented. In this plage is a singular mass of rocks heaped on one 
another in a most fantastic manner. On one of the largest was a 
pagoda and some habitations. Walls have been carried from one 
to the other so as to form a defence, and the whole is surrounded 
by a hedge and jungle. A few cocoa-nut trees were cultivated in 
the garden, but none are to be seen elsewhere. By twelve the 
