'Transactions of the Bombay Geographical Society, from January 1847 to May 1849. Edited by the Secretary. Volume VIII.' [‎124] (233/496)

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backwater: should the former, for reasons hereafter given, be preferred
the accompanying plan, drawn by Lieutenant Keatinge, of the Bombay
Artillery, assistant at Mundlaisir, who has kindly levelled and survey
ed this spot, will show the road proposed,—a distance of about 1,200
yards in all,
3. I left Chiculdah on the 25th, and reached the Hirn Phal at 12
of noon. This distance, about 16 or 17 miles by the map, is perfectly
clear, and free of obstruction : Captain Anderson calls it 25 miles, but
I think this is a misprint for 15. The river, when I reached the Hirn
Phal, had risen about 18 feet above hot weather height. I had often
before been at the place, and was therefore enabled to estimate the height
with tolerable accuracy. Like Captain Anderson, I experienced very
little difficulty in descending this rapid, for it is nothing more ; but it
is the Boorkherry rapid, one mile below, that offers the chief obstruc
tion : this Captain Anderson mistakes for the Hirn Phal, whereas the
first place goes under that name. The Boorkherry rapid I succeeded
in getting my boats down with some difficulty by the southern chan
nel, but a road, I am inclined to think, would be the best mode of
overcoming this obstacle, as, when the river is low, the length of the
rapid would increase the difficulty considerably. The immense height
to which the river rises in the monsoon—sometimes 70 feet above hot
weather height—would be a serious objection to a lock or locks; but on
this point I am not competent to speak,
4. About two miles lower down, (or even less,) is another place,
called the Gunnoee Ghaut, the features of which are precisely simile
to the Boorkherry rapid. Here, however, the fall being inconsiderable,
it would be necessary only to clear away the detached fragments of
rock in the bed of the channel to render it perfectly passable. From
hence to Beytala, 20 miles, a Bheelala village on the north bank, f our
miles below the Hutnee river, the river is clear and deep, &nd
voyage offered no difficulty.
5, The hills on either side, from Dhurmkai above the Hirn Ph a ^
to Beytala, rise to a good height, and are covered with jungle inhab
tants very scanty, Dhurmkai is inhabited by a few Bheels, under
Kaloo Singh Bheelala. On the north bank, 10 miles lower down, i s
the large Bheel hamlet of Dussana, the people of which were former y
notorious for their predatory habits, but they are now peaceable enoug •
b or 7 miles beyond this, about one mile inland from the mouth of t ie