1871.] A visit to Kharakpur , in the District of Manger {Monghyr). 25 
custom it was to retire to such places for contemplation and prayer. 
The people of the surrounding country believe that the hole 
used formerly to discharge household utensils of brass and bell- 
metal on the application of travellers who passed along the road by 
the side of which it is situated. The traveller had to call at the foot 
of the hole, and ask for any utensil which he had need of for the 
day, and instantly the article came gliding down to his hand. After 
his need was satisfied, he had to place the utensil in the hole, and 
go away. But a covetous Brahman having broken this rule, and 
carried away to his house a beautiful bell-metal cup he had thus 
received, the hole from that day ceased to lend any more utensils. 
It is said that latterly the fugitive Baja of Kharakpur, when 
pursued by his Muhammadan enemies, took refuge in this hole 
with a few faithful followers. The hole is believed to be very 
spacious and almost interminable; for it was through this subter¬ 
ranean passage that the Baja was often seen to issue out at Bhini- 
band, a distance of more than twelve miles. There is a common say¬ 
ing still repeated by the people to the effect that hundred drums 
and hundred tomtoms, if beaten at one end of the hole, do not 
make a sound loud enough to reach the other. But the passage 
is now obstructed by loose stones from the hill having fallen 
down at the mouth, which my guide said, accounted for my not 
seeing a passage beyond the small room above mentioned, except „ 
a small hole just large enough to allow my hand to pass through it. 
About half a mile farther west, our guide showed us a spot 
where rice is said to be found in large quantities under the earth; 
but on digging the ground with a club, we could get only minute 
pieces of stone in shape of rice, which our guide, however, persisted 
in holding, was burnt rice. As it was still dark, I thought it 
proper to proceed on our journey, proposing to examine the spot 
on our way back. But unfortunately, I returned by a different 
route. 
I reached Panchkumar at 7 A. ir. About a hundred yards from 
the foot of the hill, there is a small brick house standing in the 
clasp of a banian tree, which by throwing roots around and within 
the structure, has helped to prolong its existence and thereby to 
preserve the memory of the suttee, to commemorate which it 
4 
