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Imperial Gazetteer of India, v. 7, p. 27.

PHYSICAL ASPECTS 27 there are four groups of hills increasing in height from east to west: the Sarkala group, lying to the west and containing Sarkala peak (2,128 feet above sea-level); the Rajmal group, of which the highest point attains an elevation of I,623 feet; the Nandivela group (highest point 1,741 feet); the Lapala group, with a culminating point of I,547 feet. Across the northern ridge of this tl/uka runs a small range of much lower hills, which near its western end is cut through by the Shatranji river, 2- miles north-east of i)hfri. Its highest point is Dharitor (893 feet above sea-level). The extreme northern part of the Kodinar fdluka is also hilly, but on a much smaller scale, while in Okhamandal the highest elevation does not exceed Io5 feet. The hills are mostly flat- topped, and form small plateaux which in most cases are more or less scarped round their summits. The drainage of the Gujarat portion of the State falls westwards into the Gulf of Cambay, excepting that of the most northerly tdlukas, which are drained by the Banas and Saraswati rivers into the Rann of Cutch. The four principal rivers falling into the Gulf are the Sabarmati, the Mahi, the Narbada, and the Tapti, all passing in some parts of their courses through the Baroda State. Of much smaller size are the Dhadhar, between the Mahi and the Narbada; the Kim, between the Narbada and the Tapti; and the Mindhola, the Purna, and the Ambika to the south of the Tapti. The Sabarmati first touches Baroda territory at Virpur in the Kheralu tdluka, and then flows through it for about I8 miles, thereafter entering Ahmadabad District. It receives no affluent of any size in Baroda; but farther down it is joined by the Khari, the Meshwa, and the Vatrak, which drain outlying patches of the State. The Mahl only skirts the northern extremity of the Salvi taluka, and receives the waters of the Mesri, and a little lower down the united Goma and Karad, which flow for a few miles through part of Savli. The central part of the Savli tdrluka discharges its superfluous rain-water through the Meni, which falls into the Mahi, 8 miles west of Baroda. The Narbada itself only skirts portions of the State; but its northern tributary, the Orsang or Or, after being joined by the Unchh and Hiran, which drain the eastern part of the Sankheda tdluka, brings it an important accession of water. The Tapti flows for a distance of 43 miles through and past Baroda territory in the Songarh and Vyara tluhkas. Farther down it flows for 23 miles through the KImrej tdluka, and to the north of Surat skirts the out- lying Baroda township of Variav for 21 miles. The only river of im- portance in the Amreli prlnt is the Shatranji, which rises in the highest part of the Gir forest and drains the central portion of the division. The Baroda prnt presents a great diversity of aspect, the reason for this being that south of the city of Baroda black soil extends for a distance of 40 miles to the Narbada, while all the country to the north