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the British Government. In 1904 the State had 28 schools with I,oo5
pupils, including a high school at Deogarh. At the Census of I90o,
5,011 persons were shown as literate, all in Oriya, and 4 per cent. of
the population (7-6 males and 0-3 females) were able to read and write.
The State maintains two dispensaries, at Deogarh and Kuchinda, in
which nearly 19,000 cases were treated during I904.
Banas ('Hope of the forest').-A river of Rajputana. It rises in
the Aravalli Hills (25° 3' N. and 73° 28' E.) in Udaipur, about three
miles from the fort of KIumbhalgarh, and after a tortuous course,
generally north-east, of about 300 miles through the territories of
Udaipur, Jaipur, Bundi, Tonk, and Karauli, and the British District
of Ajmer, falls into the CHAMBAL (25° 55' N. and 760 44' E.) at the
holy sangam, Rameswar. From its source the river flows south, till it
meets the Gogunda plateau, when it turns eastward and, cutting through
the outlying ridges of the Aravallis, bursts into the open country. Here
on the right bank is the famous Vaishnava shrine of Nathdwara; and
a little farther on the Banas forms for a mile or so the boundary
between Udaipur and a small outlying portion of Gwalior territory,
while near Hamirgarh the Rajputana-Malwa Railway crosses it by
a bridge. Continuing east by north-east, and still in Udaipur territory,
it receives two tributaries, the Berach and Kothari, and passing within
three miles of Jahazpur, it reaches the Ajmer border. For nine miles
it forms the boundary between Udaipur and Ajmer; and after a further
course of five miles in the latter District it is joined by the Khari river,
close to the village of Negria, and not far from the cantonment of
Deoli. At this point it is crossed by the Nasirabad-Deoli road and
immediately after enters Jaipur territory.
Near the picturesque village of Bisalpur, where it is joined by the
Dain river, it turns first east and then south-east, and instead of flanking
the Toda range of hills, forces for itself a narrow passage through them
at right angles to the direction of the range, entering it at Bisalpur, and
leaving it at Rajmahal. At both places the torrent in flood has scoured
deep holes; and in these and other pools mahseer, Idnchi, and other
kinds of fish are to be found. The scenery is exceedingly wild and
beautiful. The hills on either side are crowned with the remains of
old forts with their zigzag approaches meandering through the forest
which covers them, while the old palace of the ancient rulers of Raj-
mahal, in fair preservation notwithstanding the lapse of time, and the
little village nestling at the foot of the hills on the verge of the stream,
give life and character to the whole scene. Lower down the Banas
passes through an outlying portion of Bundi territory, and later is for
thirty miles or so a river of Tonk. On being joined by the Mashi river
it turns east, and passes about three miles north of Tonk city, where it
is crossed by the metalled road which runs to Jaipur. Here again
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