Page:The Imperial Gazetteer of India - Volume 2 (2nd edition).pdf/168

 BARODA.

158

Gandevi, Palsana, Kamrij, Velachha, Moha, Vyaro, and Tongarh; the Amreli Division, comprising the Districts of Amreli,

With the exception of the Amreli

Korinar, Dhari, and Damnagar. Division,

which

in

is

Kathiawar, the others are

and

British territory,

Gaekwar, but under the British Government. Physical Aspects

.

—The

by the

soil,

also

subject to

soil

when manured and

much

traffic,

minor

chiefs,

supervision of the

surface consists chiefly of regar, or black

and a light-coloured

fertile

political

Narbada (Nerbudda), Tapti, Mahi, and

The

locally

known

well

known.

natural fertility of the black cotton soil is

intermixed with

northern Districts in Guzerat form a wide

rivers

several smaller streams.

cotton

much

also with the lands belonging to

tributary to the

plain, drained

(4)

Okhamandal,

is

irrigated

as in roads,

it

in



as gordru.

The gordru

The soil

dry weather, where

forms deep, heavy, and almost

impalpable sand, which again after rain becomes tolerably compact.

The

roads are generally lined by hedges of cactus, irregularly planted.

Deserted towns, ruined temples, and tanks

now

mud, Okhamandal, in the extreme north-west of the peninsula of Kathiawar, surrounded on three sides by the sea or the Gulf of Cutch, partakes of the general appearance of the Province of Cutch (Kachchh), being everywhere sandy and covered with loose stones. The Amreli Mahals resemble the rest of Kathiawar. The country is open, the soil good, and well partly filled with

bear testimony to the former prosperity of the country.

watered with perennial streams. city of

Baroda,

and highly

The

is

cultivated,

The

central Division, surrounding the

and covered with trees, the soil fertile yielding crops of the most highly prized cotton.

perfectly

flat

fourth or southern Division, including the lands that intermix with

is also fertile and well cultivated, especially neighbourhood of the town of Navsari. The principal rivers flowing through the territory are the Saraswatf, Sabarmati, Mahi, Narbadd (Nerbudda), Puma, Dhutarwad, Shetrunji, The lesser Meswa, Watrak, Shetruti, Dhadhar, Kim, and Ambika. streams are the Bands, Rupan, Lun, Jari, Vishwdmitri, Surya, Or, Varnd, Ambd, Karad, Jambua, and Tembhi. Water is obtained chiefly

the British District of Surat, in the

from

wells,

reservoirs.

but in almost

The

the rich alluvial

serve to

fertilize

all

parts of the

territory

there

are

fine

have worn their courses deep below the level of deposit, and, except on occasions of flood, no longer

rivers

the

soil.

Apart from the Rdjpipla the central Division, there

Hills, is

which fringe the southern

no range of mountains

in

limit of

the whole

territory.

—

Population The Census of 1881 gives a total population of 2,185,005 persons (1,139,512 males, and 1,045,493 females), or 255 to the square mile. Of these, 1,954,390, or 89'45 per cent., are returned as Hindus ; .