50
were reported from 11 ; and these out-breaks took place between the 19th July
and 6th September. There was no rain in this tract of country till the 18th July;
on that and the following day 3½ inches of rain fell. On the 21st cholera was
reported from Deora Khar and Munuria, villages in different parts' of the
pergunnah, but both on roads leading from the main Northern road to the town
of Bijiragogurh, and both partly drawing their water-supply from large tanks.
North of Bijiragogurh the epidemic did not spread.
177a. I now return to the country west of Jubbulpore,—a wide alluvial
plain, 900 square miles in extent, and comprising 613 villages. It includes the
Jubbulpore Havelee, the western portion of Punagurb, the pergunnah of Patun,
and a portion of the pergunnah of Kuttunghee. It is bounded on the north by
the Kindrye stream and the Hirun river ; in the middle part of its course by the
Nerbudda; on the south and on the east by the Bhanner range, which rises
abruptly from the plain to an elevation varying from 1,500 to 2,000 feet, forming an
almost straight and precipitous barrier from Kuttunghee to the Nerbudda. The soil
of the whole of this tract of country is a deep alluvium ; it varies, however, consider-
ably in value in different parís. In the central portion it is a rich black loam, but
as the Hirun and Nerbudda are approached on cither side, it becomes largely
mixed with sand; and in the south-western corner of the tract, where these rivers
converge, the country is very poor and cut up in all directions by ravines, and
but little cultivated.
177b. The Pureyat river crosses the northern portion of the tract, and the
Hirun courses along its northern and western borders; there are also three or four
minor streams that cross the plain, and join the Hirun in different parts of
its course. The villages that are situated along these rivers and streams depend
on thorn for water, but the larger portion oí the population derive their supply
from wells or tanks. The depth of the wells varies greatly in different parts ; in
some parts it ranges from 40 to 50 feet, but water is commonly found at from
20 to 30 feet from the surface. In the deeper wells there is but little variation
in the depth of the water from the surface in different seasons ; in other parts
there is a difference of about G feet between the level in the hot weather and
after the rains. At a large majority of the villages there is a tank, where the
people wash clothes and bathe, and the water of which is in many instances
used for cooking, and by the lower castes for drinking. These tanks are ordinarily
very close to the village, they vary greatly in size,—some are small and are faced
with masonry; others are oí considerable extent, and in these the Singhara nut is
commonly cultivated.
178. This part of the district is traversed by three roads, radiating from
Jubbulpore. The southern leading to Nnrsingpore and the Nerbudda valley,
running parallel with the railroad ; the central to Saugor, by Patun and Rehlee,
crossing the Hirun, and ascending the Bhanner range at Kohnee ; the northern
taking a north-westerly direction to Dumoh and Saugor, crosses the Hirun at
Kuttunghee, and turning the southern point of the Khyrnore range, crosses the
Bhanner hills by Sewrampore and Jubbura. Of 600 villages that occupy the
area above described 163 or 27 per cent were visited by cholera. From many
only one death was reported ; others lost 10 to 18 per cent of their population.
The mortality, however, was not so great as in other parts of the epidemic area.
A very large proportion (61 out of 163) were situated along the Nerbudda, the
Hirun, and Pureyat; and besides these, several others were dependent, wholly or
in part, on the smaller streams for water; the remainder were scattered over the
whole area, often at wide intervals.
179. Although there is good reason for believing that the epidemic influ-
ence was conveyed to a distance by means of the traffic along the main road, the