Vimt to Pali cat Lake. 475 



on the road thither, the Neilgherries (or BKie Hills), with their 

 jagged outline, came into view on the gray horizon to the 

 N.W., the height of which may he about 1,500 to 2000 feet. 

 A narrow bulwark or quay of unequal breadth, varying from 

 20 feet to 5 miles, separates this salt lake from the ocean, the 

 fierce surf of which, at some narrow places, actually breaks 

 over, and mingles its waters. The lake varies in breadth, from 

 5 to 10 miles, and is about 60 to 70 miles long. The level of 

 its bed is so remarkably regular, never exceeding from 3 to 

 5 feet, that when the wind fails, the boats that navigate the 

 lake can be pushed along with poles, and one everywhere sees 

 the naked inhabitants of the coast standing in the very middle 

 of the water, with their landing or drag-nets, or busily occu- 

 pied with rod and line ! Being but a few hours distant from 

 Madras, the lake is connected with the city by an artificial 

 canal, along both sides of which are a number of outlets, care- 

 fully faced with masonry, so as to convert the adjoining land 

 into lagoons, in which during the rainy seasons the strongly 

 brackish water enters, and is used to make sea-salt. 



In the canal there is considerable trade, as well by fishing- 

 boats, as by those laden with wood and fruit, which they convey 

 to the city for disposal. Most especially remarkable is the 

 enormous number of fen-birds, which frequent its shores and 

 all around it. At several places where the shores, for a width of 

 about a mile, are mere swamps with barely a foot of water, 

 they are literally covered with myriads of curlews, which fly 



