58 



monsoon season, making Negapatam, Porto Novo or Madras 

 their base as might be found most suitable. 



35. The general character of West Coast ports may be 

 summed up in the statement that from October to May small 

 vessels may anchor close inshore at almost every one and that 

 light-draft craft built on the lines of the proposed fishing boats 

 may cross the bars of the principal river havens for some time 

 before and after high water. Naturally some ports offer greater 

 advantages than others ; for the sake of reference I shall now 

 give a brief note upon the respective advantages of those most 

 likely to prove useful havens if sea-going fishing boats come to 

 be employed in numbers. 



Under present conditions Cochin, Mangalore, and Calicut 

 (with Beypore) enjoy a decided superiority over all others, the 

 two first because their river havens mav be entered at any 

 state of tide, the last because of the presence of an extensive 

 mudbank which for three years past has provided a smooth 

 water inshore anchorage along the sea front and given surf-free 

 landing for a considerable distance south of the port pier. 



Of ports less highly favoured, but perfectly suitable for the 

 purpose in view, quite a number are available, namely, Quilandi, 

 Mai pi, Kundapur, Beliapatam and Mount Dilli together, 

 Tellicherry, Ponnani, Caiman ore, Chaughat and Mahe : the 

 names as arranged indicate approximately the order in which 

 they appear to rank as fishing-boat centres considered from tbe 

 point of view of safety. Between the first five there is very 

 little to choose, all are most excellent, each in its own way ; 

 the last named four are also safe havens from October to May. 



36. To give a few of the more important particulars 

 ascertained during a recent tour along the coast regarding each 

 of these havens — 



Cochin is the best river harbour in the whole Presidency 

 for the six months during which the north-east monsoon pre- 

 vails ; during the rest of the year the port is considered unsafe 

 and is closed to sailing vessels from 15th May to 15th Sep- 

 tember between which dates the bar buoys are removed. During 

 this season boats may anchor in safety in smooth water on the 

 mudbank about two miles north of Cochin bar. Formerly this 

 bank lay off TSTarrakal. a small place five miles north of Cochin ; 

 of late years it has shifted gradually southwards till now it lies 

 off Mallipuram, two miles to the south of Narrakal. At the 

 first burst of the monsoon considerable sea is usual on this 

 mudbank and on the beach eastward, but at the end of about a 

 week so great a quantity of excessively fine mud passes into 

 suspension in the water that the same effect is produced as oil 



