146 
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS OF 
then kept slightly away from the hills, leaving the cultivated land behind, 
and entered a wild tract of grass jungle, now and then coming to a water¬ 
course on the banks of which grew belts of trees, and passing the village of 
Dahnbaree, we came after a march of thirteen or fourteen miles, just at 
sunset, to the deserted village of Kissenbaree. The inhabitants of this place 
had evidently not left many weeks before, as the platters, sieves, and other 
household utensils lay about quite uninjured; the partitions between the 
houses and rooms were unharmed, the floors evenly plastered, and the path¬ 
ways free from grass; however, the harvest had been entirely gathered in and 
removed. This village consisted of about twenty houses, a clear little 
stream of water flowed close at hand, and on its bank, half a mile down, 
just at the side of the path leading southwards, were erected a number of 
little miniature houses, the supposed dwelling places of the village deities. 
Tearing that the village might swarm with vermin, notwithstanding its 
cleanly appearance, and to keep near the water so as not to necessitate the 
distant straggling of our little party, I chose the idol village to rest in, and 
slept in one of its little huts, the remainder of the party sleeping around; 
and verily the sacrilege of so profaning the habitation of the Hindoo deities 
was avenged, for the mosquitoes attacked me most savagely, and between 
this nuisance and the throbbing of my ancle, I had but little rest. This 
plague of mosquitoes always brings on an increase of fever. 
At the earliest break of day we rose and commenced to cook our morning 
meal, not knowing what might happen to prevent our eating that day, 
having been taught by that severe master, experience, never to commence a 
day's work on an empty stomach. Striking due west, we passed through a 
country covered with low grass, the plains of which would have allowed 
splendid galloping after pig; these plains were intersected by clear streams 
of water, bordered by dense belts of forest a hundred yards in depth, very 
difficult to pass through, as the roots of the trees were often raised above 
the muddy ground, into which we sunk deeply; dense, high tiger grass, 
(called null, nurkool), fringes the immediate bank; the water in these five 
streams never exceeds three feet in depth. 
Marching for seven hours without rest brought us suddenly upon a patch 
of cultivation, and a village on the far bank of a stream. This was the 
village of Mackta Goan, and here I obtained the assistance of an intelligent 
villager (the head man) to guide me further on. About a mile and a half 
in a more southerly direction brought us to the very extensive old bed of 
the Guddada, which held but little water. A mile beyond we came upon 
the present channel of this large river, on which I was fortunate enough to 
find a raft, w T hich took my pony, my escort, and myself across, while 
the elephant crossed at a ford further down. The river was here about 100 
yards across, and its greatest depth about 9 feet, flowing very rapidly, the 
water very clear and cold. 
I forgot to mention that the pathway from Mackta Goan to the old bed 
of the Guddada was literally torn up in many places by the stamping of 
bull buffaloes, done only the night before, while new droppings of these 
animals, covered every open piece of ground on the way. The number which 
inhabit these jungles must be incalculable, and I quite felt the justice of the 
villager's complaints over the depredations they must commit. 
Immediately we crossed the Guddada we entered upon a highly cultivated 
