The only mountain in the province is that of Powagur, a steep and rocky height, resembling the Table Land of the Cape of Good Hope, but apparently more lofty. On its summit is a strong hold, deemed impregnable, and sup posed to be the Tiagura of Ptolemy.
Guzerat is watered by several large rivers, of which the most considerable are the Myhi, which takes its rise near Amjecrall, the capital of Rajole, and, running in a south west direction, falls into the bottom of the Gulf of Cam bay; the Nerbudda, supposed to be the Narmada of the Greeks, which rises in the mountain of Pindara, near the north-cast corner of Berar, and proceeding westwards about 640 miles, terminates its course on the cast coast of the Gulf of Cambay ; and the Taptee, which descends from the mountains of Burhanpour, and after a course of above 320 miles, nearly parallel to that of the Nerhudda, falls into the sea below Surat. These larger rivers are ordinarily extremely gentle and pellucid ; but begin to swell some time before the rain falls in the low countries; and then become furiously rapid, frequently sweeping away whole villages, with the inhabitants and their cattle. In the rainy season, the mountain torrents swell the small est streams in a wonderful manner, so as to make them rise in a few hours 20 or 30 feet above their usual level. In the dry season, nevertheless, a great scarcity of water is experienced in many places, especially in the sandy soil to the north of the Myhi river, where the periodical rains are speedily absorbed, and wells must be dug to the depth of 80 and 100 feet.
The rainy season sets in with the south-west monsoon before the middle of June, accompanied with tempestuous weather, and continues with more or less violence about four months. The greatest quantity of rain always falls in July; yet, in the province of Guzerat, there is not so much rain during the wet season as there is at Bombay, and the southern part of the Malabar coast. In Decem ber, January, and February, the mornings and evenings are c‘sici and sharp, and sometimes ice has been seen at Surat in the month of January. At this period the ther mometer is frequently under 60° at sun-rise, and seldom exceeds 70° at noon ; and the weather throughout the whole day is temperate and agreeable. But, in the suc ceeding months, during the prevalence of the hot winds, though the morning may be tolerably cool, the thermome ter gradually rises from 70° to 100° ; and in the plains near Cambay, has been observed at 116° in the soldier's tents. During the hot and dry months, the surface of the country is covered with sand or dust; and, in the rainy season, becomes a thick mire, and often a sheet of water.
The soil is generally sandy or marshy; but, in the cul tivated districts, is a reddish light earth, or a rich black mould, both of which are highly fertile and productive. Except for the richer crops, manure is seldom required ; and the dung of the cow-house is then the principal sub stance employed. In some of the pergunnas, particularly
in Brodera and Jambooseer, the fields are inclosed, and the country enriched with plantations of mango, tamarind, and banian trees. The different kinds of grain. arc generally sown in June, and reaped in September. Wheat and bar ley are raised in many districts. Rice is a principal article of cultivation ; and a great variety of Indian grains is eve ry where produced. OF these may be mentioned the juar ree, or cush-cush, (holcus sorchunz of Linnaeus,) a fine large plant, resembling maize or guinea corn, growing to the heightilof eight or ten feet, each stalk bearing several ears, the largest of which will frequently contain 2000 seeds ; bahjcree, (holcus siiicatus of Linnaeus,) resembling the last, but inferior in size, and only used by the poorer classes; codra, chena, buntee, bowtah, growing to the height of two or three feet, and yielding grain of a nutritious quality; various pulses, especially tuar, (cytisus cajun) resembling split peas ; mutt and gram, (dolichos biflorus) chiefly used for nourishing cattle. Cotton is a staple commodity; and that of the Ahmood pergunna is of so superior a quality, that it generally brings the highest price in the markets of Bengal and China. Sugar, tobacco, and indigo, flourish luxuriantly in the province, and might be cultiisited with great profit. Hemp and Ilax grow well in the northern districts ; but are often raised chiefly for the sake of the oil contained in the seed, and an intoxicating drug called Cling made from the leaves. Mustard seed is raised in considerable quantities, and is greatly esteemed in pickles. Occasionally may be seen, in gardens, large crops of pop pies, (the seeds of which are very commonly mixed by the natives in cakes and confections,) ginger, turmeric, fenue greek, and betel leaf, extensive fields of capsicum or chi lies, and large tracts of yellow cossumba, (carthamus,) which yield a valuable red dye. In those places where there is no cocoa nuts, various shrubs and plants are cul tivated for producing oil, especially the scsamum, and ii cinus, palma ChrMi. The water melons, especially those of Baroche, are superior to any in India. The white, red, and curling mulberry flourishes in the gardens ; and the cuttings require only to be put into the ground in the rai ny season, where they take root, and grow up withour far ther trouble. The bamboo grows wild in most districts, is frequently planted in hedges around the villages, and in seasons of scarcity sometimes furnishes an article of food. Mango, tamarind, and banian trees are to be found in most parts of the pros ince. One of the last mentioned, (the banian or ficus indicus) the most magnificent tree of the kind in India, grows on an island in the river Nurbudda ; and hat nearly 1350 trunks, all traced to one parent stem, froming a canopy of verdant foliage, impenetrable even to a tropical sun, extending over a circuit of 2000 feet.