170 MADRAS FISHERIES BULLETIN [VOL. XVI, 



APPENDIX A. 



An account of the condition of the coast of Madura 

 and of the pearl fisheries there in the year 1663, 

 translated from valentyn's " history of the east 

 indies," volume v, page i46. 



" 1663. Madura. — Under the coasts of Madura are included the seven 

 ports or harbours, and the country of the Prince Ragonada Catta Theuver, 

 commonly called the ' Teuver,' with whom we are on good terms. His 

 contract, written on copper, is hereunto annexed. But we consider a 

 further description necessary of the Gulf between Ceylon and Manaar, and 

 we shall commence with the island Ramanacoil, which is in the inner Bay, 

 and makes a narrow separation between the Continent of India on the one 

 side and Adam's Bridge on the other, but the passage, with the highest 

 water towards the land is scarcely six feet deep. This passage is called 

 Pamben-aar, signifying, on account of its many windings and curlings, the 

 ' Snake River ' which gives the Theuver sufficient profit not only from the 

 tax laid upon the Pass, but also on account of the excursion over to the 

 Island, on which there stands a very old pagoda of their much revered idol 

 Ramana, to honour whom people come from Hindostan, Orissa and Ben- 

 gal from which circumstance it may well be imagined that a tolerable 

 revenue is derived. 



"This said Teuver is subject and tributary to the Naick of Madura ; 

 but since we have entered~into terms of alliance and friendship with hin^ 

 he cares far less for the Naick than he did previously ; but he greatly res- 

 pects us, knowing that it is in our power to take this island of Ramanacoil 

 from him, and therefore we can always retain him to our interests, as a 

 balance against the great power of the Naick, although it is not by any 

 means requisite that we should show any great deference to either the one 



or the other. 



" The western lands of the Theuver are situated next to Ramanacoil, 

 farther eight or ten miles in the gulf, within which lie his principal places 

 on the sea-coast, named Wedale, Peripatnam, Killekare and Wallemoeke, 

 over which we have no authority. But still farther to the west follow By- 

 paer, Bem-paer, Pattenemandoer, Tcetecoryn, Pondecail, Cailpatnam and 

 Manepaar, constituting the ' Seven Harbours,' all (excepting Cailpatnam, 

 whose inhabitants are principally Moors) being inhabited by Christian 



