59 



would have, the sea becoming perfectly smooth ami of a lake- 

 like stillness although beyond the limit of the bank high seas 

 may continue to run. The beach consists of very soft mud and 

 affords smooth landing during the south-west monsoon. 



The Cochin bar at present has about 11 feet of water in the 

 shallowest place at low water of spring tides, springs rising 3 

 feet. A 2,000-ton steamer has entered, light, and come out 

 safely on 13 feet partly loaded. Depths of 6 to 7 fathoms are 

 found immediately within the entrance channel together with a 

 very large area of suitable anchorage available for boats drawing 

 8 feet and under. A strong current sets out during the ebb 

 and renders the bar dangerous to small boats when opposed by 

 a sea breeze. 



Apart from its great natural advantages Cochin is at present 

 particularly well situated to become a great fishing port ; it is 

 within easy reach by rail of Coimbatore, the Nilgiris, and a great 

 inland district where the people at present never see fresh sea 

 fish ; the port has long had a great and well deserved reputation 

 for the excellence and reasonable prices of the ships turned 

 out by its shipwrights — an industry favoured by the neigh- 

 bourhood of the Cochin forests"; finally Cochin now possesses 

 an extensive fish-manure and fish-oil factory built by one of 

 the foremost British fish manure firms and equipped with the 

 most modern machinery adapted to the economical and rapid 

 treatment of the raw materials employed. 



37. Chaughat, 36 miles north of Cochin, is the most 

 southern port in the Malabar district, for though Cochin is 

 within this Collectorate for administrative purposes, its geo- 

 graphical position links it with Cochin State and Travancore. 

 There is good mud anchorage off the river mouth, and small 

 craft are able to enter the river at high water. It is doubtful 

 whether fishing boats drawing 3 feet of water would be able to 

 use this river as a port of refuge ; in bad weather they would 

 probably have to run for Ponnani, 18 miles to the north or bear 

 down southwards for the Narrakal mudbank. Fishing is 

 extensively carried on at this port at present by canoes ; a 

 large proportion of the fish is salted, consumption in the fresh 

 condition being very restricted. 



38. Ponnani, 18 miles north of Chaughat, is situated at 

 the mouth of the Ponnani river. Its physical situation is 

 practically the same as Chaughat with the important difference 

 that there is considerably greater depth of water on its bar. 

 Usually boats drawing 5 feet are able to enter even at low 

 water, there being in normal seasons 6 feet water at low tide 

 of ordinary springs, with 1 feet rise to high water. It is a busy 



