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XVI. An Account of the Island and Bridge of Sivasamudram in the Caveri 
River. By Raimaswamit Mover, Jaghirdar of the Island. 
(Communicated by the Mapras Lirerary Socrery and Auxiliary Royar 
Astatic SOCIETY.) 
Read 17th of December 1831. 
INT ROD U CVOnR Y NO WE 
BY 
James 8. LusuinctTon, Esa. 
Secretary of the Asiatic Department of the Madras Literary Society and Auxiliary 
Royal Asiatic Society. 
Tue materials for the following account of the island of Sivasamudram, 
together with the description and plans of the bridges which have been 
built, and are now building across the two branches of the Cdveri, were 
furnished to me by RAmaswAmi Mdpetiar, the intelligent and wealthy 
Jadghirdér of the island. As regards the antiquities of this celebrated place, 
I regret the imperfection of the memoir; but I am willing to hope that 
it will not be considered wholly destitute of merit. By the curious in 
architecture, the faithful representation of the bridges, and the plain 
description of the manner in which they are constructed, will be valued; 
while, to the observer of the human mind, and the speculator upon the 
progress of improvement in India, it must be an object of interest to mark 
the modes of thought and feeling entertained by a Hindu, who, in strict 
accordance with the precepts of his religion, undertakes a great public 
work, which would do honour to the professor of any religion, and to the 
citizen of any country, in any age. With a view of exhibiting, not only 
RAmaswAmi’s natural sentiments, but his manner of expressing them in the 
English language, 1 have made very few corrections in the composition of 
the memoir. The first part was less perfect in style than the last ; but in it 
{ have preserved the original language, with as few alterations as could 
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