22 Chandrasekhara Banurji —The Kaimur Range. [No. 1, 
The chitti is a sort of hemp extracted from the stalk of a wild plant of 
that name whose culture cannot be too much recommended. Both in 
gloss and silkiness it is superior to jute or any other flax that we know of in 
the country. The “ sal-gind” which Dr. Buchanan translated into olibanum, 
but by which we suspect the oil extracted from the juice of the sal tree was 
meant, is not at present expressed, probably owing to the gradual decay of 
that noble tree on the hills. 
Honey is yielded by two species of bees ; partly by the regular honey¬ 
bee, but mostly by the black bhringa. The latter makes its hive in the 
cracks and crevices of steep cliffs, beyond the reach of all animals and the 
havoc of man. These cliffs are generally inaccessible from the foot. But 
the hill-men of the Masahar tribe, whose trade it is to dig out roots and 
herbs for medicines and collect honey, approach them by a dangerous device. 
Hope cradles are hung on trees standing on the crest of precipices. The 
Masahar covers himself with a blanket, holds a torch in his hands, and waves it 
to and fro along the side of the steep rock hundreds of feet above the glens. 
Every time that his cradle comes near to the hive, he puts in his flaming 
torch* as best he can, and thus succeeds in killing and scaring away the honey- 
makers. When the bees appear to have left the hive completely his 
demoniac rocking ceases, his cradle stops near the mouth of the crevice, 
he extracts the honey and takes the hive, which is broken for wax. The 
unholy trade continues every fortnight from the night of the new moon 
in the month of November to June when the largest yield is expected, June 
being the best season for the collection. 
Of the mineral wealth of the hills the most important is Iron. There 
are six furnaces within the limits of the advanced outpost on the plateau, where 
the ore is roasted to the extent of 200 maunds per annum. The metal, such 
as we saw, is spotted red, and supplies the materials for all instruments 
of husbandry to the forest races; small quantities are also brought down 
to the plains where it sells at about 5 Rs. the maund. The smelting of 
the ore is carried on entirely by the Sahara clan of the Khamar tribe. 
At present the entire value of the Iron smelted per annum is estimated 
at 1000 Rs. only,—200 maunds at 5 Rs. With capital and enterprise, 
we have no doubt, the mineral wealth of the hills could be greatly deve¬ 
loped. Sulphate of Iron is extracted in different parts of the hills. 
As has been observed above, calcareous stone abounds in every part 
of the Range. There are two hills on the eastern slope near Akbarpur, 
which are entirely composed of limestone in different stages of formation. 
Some do not yet, but others melt into beautiful white lime. On the southern 
and eastern slopes, the quarries are close to the Son, while the Sara, a small 
stream which flows straight on to the Durgavati, has a respectable channel 
near the quarries of Masai, and affords, during the rains, a facility of 
