T h e Myfore country; is an immenfe inclined plain, with an F a c e of the
undulated furface, which, with little affiftance by dams, form YS°RE”
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 condudted ,by fmall gutters; but the principal grain of*
the country is raggee, which requires no more moifture than
the falling of the monfoons. This plain is dotted with numerous
hills, which rife fuddenly from the furface; they are-
of different forms, and often cloathed with the perpetual verdure
of mango and other beautiful trees. Numbers are forti- Hnx f o k t s , on
fied on their fummits with a ftrong fort, once thS refidence of Drooss-
the leffer Hindoo Rajahs before they were, fwaliowed up by the
various Mahometan- conquefts. Many received by the conquerors
additional fortifications, which rendered them impreg- ;
nable to a native enemy : fuch are Saven-droog, Outre-droog,
and variety o f others,, which proved eafy conquefts to the Britifh
commander. The celebrated Aornos Petra was a fortrefs o f
this nature. With what vaunting circumftances does the hif-'
torian o f the Macedonian hero defcribe this fingle conqueft !
How lightly does the modeft record of the viitor over the My-
forean kingdom touch on more nurnerous acquifitions o f the
> fame kind, poifibly of equal, perhaps o f fuperior ftrength.
All thefe-forts have their proper names, and moil o f them with
the addition of Droog, i. e. a hill fort. Views o f numbers are
given by Major Allan and Mr. Home, which convey a full idea of
the partial inacceflibility beftowed on them by nature, and the
additiqnal difficulties created by art. To clear the country from
VoL- Ir- L thefe