DiJJicfdHcs of Disemharkation. \ic^ 



having on board two natives, who brought off from the authorities 

 of the port the customary papers to be filled up. This extra- 

 ordinary and very primitive boat consists of merely two or three 

 trunks of trees bound together raft-fashion, on which these 

 daring boatmen kneel. As a great part of their body is neces- 

 sarily under water, they carry the papers and letters entrusted 

 to them for transmission to the ships in the Roads, in turban- 

 like wrappings which envelope their heads. Ordinarily, these 

 men are excellent swimmers, a most requisite accomplishment 

 to enable them to regain their boats, in the event of being 

 swept off by the waves, or to save themselves and others from 

 the innumerable sharks, which frequent the entire Coromandel 

 coast, and render it eminently dangerous. About noon, a 

 larger boat approached us, manned by from 15 to 20 

 natives, who offered their services as caterers, washers, agents, 

 servants, in short as ''Dubashes,*' a sort of Hindoo factotum; 

 while each individual, shrieking and vociferating at the top of 

 his voice, held high in the air, with outstretched arm, a number of 

 written testimonials of ship-captains that had already employed 

 him. These boats, called " MassuU/' or "MusU" boats 

 (from Muchly — fish), about 36 feet long by 5 or 6 in width, 

 and in which alone it is possible to bring passengers and goods 

 to land, are hght, as flexible as if made of leather, and are 

 fastened together with the elastic fibres of the cocoa-nut, being 

 in every particular specially adapted to yield to the tremen- 

 dous blows of the heavy surf, which a boat of ordinary con- 

 struction could not possibly live through. They are for the 



