History of Orissa from the Earliest Times to the British Period v2.c41.143.3

v2.c41.143.3

Charles Alleyn¹ was the English postmaster at Katak at the time of his visit and Motte states that Alleyn regarded Mahārājah Jānujī's demands for *chauth* as just and honest. Motte carefully launched Clive's proposal to purchase Orissa for the English East India Company. The situation was favourable to the English, as the Peshwa Mādhav Rao I was determined to crush Jānujī, and Bhavānī Pandit agreed to support the proposal. Motte left Katak on the 10th and after crossing the Kāṭjuṛī entered the road to the Barmul pass along the old pilgrim road to Sambalpur. He entered the Banki State, the Oriyā chief of which—named Śrī Chandana—was at that time a prisoner at Katak. On the 13th he reached the State of Tigiria, the Rājā of which was Champat Singh. In his account of the 13th of May, Motte corroborates Śivarām Bhaṭṭa's letter to the Governor of the English East India Company at Fort William about his devastation of the States of Dhenkanal and Baramba. Motte had now entered into the hilly country and reached Khandapara on the 14th of May. He had to stop here for two days in order to purchase necessaries for his servants before entering the deeper jungle. He describes Kullu as a large village where the merchants of Central India bring cotton and other goods on bullocks and carry back salt from the Chilka. He says that very little money is used by traders and trade is carried on entirely by barter.