Pennant, Thomas: The view of Hindoostan (Band 2) (London, 1798)

EASTERN HINDOOSTAN. 73.

The Mvfore country is an immenfe inclined piain, with an Face of thb

Mysore.
nndulated furface, which, with little affiftance by dams, form'

in the hollows, tanks,or receptacles for water, which is preferved

for the cattle, or for the paddy or rice fields, through which

it is condu&ed by fmall gutters; but the principal grain of

the country is raggee, which requires no more moifture than

the falling of the monfoons. This piain is dotted with nu-

merous hüls, which rife fuddenly from the furface; they are

of difFerent forms, and often cloathed with the perpetual ver-

dure of mango and other beautiful trees. Numbers are forti- Hill forts, »r

fied on their fummits with a itrong fort, once the refidence of ROO<ss*

the lefTer Hindoo Rajahs before they were fwallowed up by the

various Mahometan conquefts. Many received by the con-

querors additional fortifications, which rendered them impreg-

nable to a native enemy: fuch are Saven-droog, Outre-droogy

and variety of others, which proved eafy conquefts to the Britiß

Commander. The celebrated Aornos Petra was a fortrefs of

this nature. With what vaunting circumftances does the hif-

torian of the Macedonian hero defcribe this fingle conqueft !

How lightly does the modeft record of the victor over the My-

forean kingdom touch on more numerous acquifitions of the

fame kind, poffibly of equal, perhaps of fuperior ftrength.

All thefe forts have their proper names, and moft of them with

the addition of Droog, i. e. a hill fort. Views of numbers are

given by Major Allan and Mr. Home, which convey a füll idea of

the partial inacceflibility beftowed on them by nature, and the

additional difficulties created by art. To clear the country from

Vol. II. L thefc