

CARNATIC. 



iU fertility. Oa the suminiU of the range, ok, pine*, and other 

 tr**> fro* ; n.l the vine and olive-tre* wbt b ar* still wen among 

 UM bnunblM indicate that iU surface wu one* under cultivation. 

 Tb ridtM ar (till oovetvd with rich paiture. where shepherd* fend 

 their fl<>ck> they did when the Hebrew propheU described it u the 

 bal'iutiou of shpber.l*.' The Kiihon run* along the eastern base 

 Ot Canucl into the lUy of Khaifa. 



Jfeimt Carsuf i* celebrated in the Old Testament for the acrifk-e of 

 Elijah (S Kingt, xxiiU, uid the fume of thin mirncle made it be re- 

 garvlel eren by pagan* as place of peculiar nanctity. The rite of 

 Elijah's altar i* t:ll pointed out Carmel contains numerous caves, 

 particularly on the western aide. At the north-western extremity of 

 Mount Carmel U a monutery belonging to the Carmelite monk*, who 

 took their denomination from this mountain : the monastery is believed 

 to be built i'v r the spot where Elijah and Elisha had their abode. 



Tlic little town of Cttifa, or Kkaifa (the ancient Porphyrium), at 

 the northern baae of Mount Carmel, is of some importance on account 

 of iU roadstead. Corn, cotton, sesamum, and Oalilean and Samarian 

 oil* are exported from Caifa. 



CARSAK. [MORBIHAS.] 



CAKNAK. [TuEBis.] 



CARNATIC, a province in the south of Hindustan, extending 

 between 8 and 16 N. lat, and between 77* and 81 E. long. Thin 

 c comprehends the former dominions of the Nabobs of 

 Arcot, stretching from Cape Comorin on the S. to the small river 

 Guudigama, by which it is separated from the Ci:carn on tho N. 

 On the E. it is bounded by the Bay of Bengal, having a line of coast 

 500 miles long; and on the W. are Coiuibatore, the Borramahal 

 dUtriota, and tie territory ceded by the Nizam. The breadth of the 

 province, no where greater than 110 miles, averages about 75 miles, 

 and ia narrowest towards the north. The chain of hills known as the 

 Eastern Ohauta commences in the south, about 11' 20' N. lat, and 

 1 northward in a direct line to 16 N. lat, separating the 

 Carnatic throughout its extent into two divisions, one called Caraatic 

 Balaghauta, or above the UhauU [BALAOHArrs]; the other the 

 Oarnatic Payeengh.mt, or below the Ohauta. Thu province is t'urth, r 

 1 in length into three parts, severally called the Southern, the 

 Central, and the Northern Climatic. The first of these divisions is 

 south of the river Co'.erun, the northern branch of the Cavery, which 

 runs from Trichin]H>!i to the Bay of Bengal. This part of the 

 Carnatic tliil not f .-nil part of the dominions of the Nabob of 



Arcot, but was tributary to that chief. The principal towns which it 

 oontalusareCarrical, CODDALORB, Madura, Nagore, Negapatain,Taiijore, 

 TUMI vellv, Tranquebar, and Trichinopoli. The Central Caruatic him 

 the CuKrun for its southern and th> Panuair for IU northern 

 bound try. Its chief towns are MADRAS, ARCOT, Chaudergery, 

 venuii, Ginjee, Nellore, Pondicherry, Pulicat, Vel- 

 lore, and Wallajabad. The Northern Carnatic comprehends the 

 f the province, and is included between the Panuair on 

 the south and the Oundlgama on the north ; of its towns, which are 

 few in number, we may name Saumgaum. 



t'urn'co/, at one of the outlets of the Cavery River, is a French 

 settlement The river is here navigable for small boati. The popu- 

 lation is about 15,000. There is here a good harbour. The town 

 pjosneesas considerable trade. Madura, situated near the Vaygaru 

 River, it a fortified city, about 270 miles S.W. from Madras. The 

 population formerly amounted to 40,000, but is now probably not 

 naif that numb r. The walls of ita ancient fortifications rtmain, and 

 a Urge palace, a great temple with pyramidal towers, with numerous 

 Hindoo edifices, attest the former extent and magnificence of the 

 place. The street* are wide, and regularly built, but the dwellings 

 of the inhabitants are of an inferior description. Nagore, on the 

 ICag.Te River, a branch of the Cavery, at ita embouchure in the 

 . Ocean, is a populous city, with a considerable trade. The 

 boiues are well built. The city possesses several mosques, 

 a squire tower 150 feet high, and other public buildings. Ifega- 

 fatam, on the Coromandel coast, about 50 miles E. from Tanjorc, 

 was formerly a Portuguese and afterwards a Dutch settlement of 

 Importantly but has lost Ita trade since it was united to the British 

 dominion, in 1783. Tanjurt, the capital of the Raja of Tanjore, is 

 situated near the right bauk of the Cavery, in 10 47' N. lat., 79 13' 

 E. long., d -t ml 40 miles E. from Trichinopoli : the population has 

 been variously estimated at from 35,000 to 80,000. The circumference 

 of the city .id the sul.urb* is about nix miles. U is a place of 

 great rt.ength, Mug defended by two forta, which are ooi: 

 wi-.h >acii other; both am surrounded by wall* built of large stones, 

 and by bruad and deep wet ditches. The city is regularly built, 

 and i H d to contain a larger proportion of good houses than 

 any other town in Southern Hindustan. The palace of the raja 

 is in th larfc-er fort. An extensive Hi idno temple is situated 

 in the smaller fort There is here an Engliah church. Tin. 

 60 mile* N. by E. from Ct|* Comorin, is situated in a very well 

 cultivated country not far from tho mountain*. Tiamjurbar, formerly 

 a Danish settlement, is a fortified sea-port town. It was purchased 

 by K..K' i.l la 184*. The town poms * a good hnrbour, and tome 

 commerce. The popuUtion may be about 20,000. Tranquebar ia a 



:! station of the Protestant mitaionaries in Hindustan. 

 nojnli is situated on a rocky eminence on the right bank of the river 



Cavery ; it is fortified, and U said to contain, including the suburbs, 

 upwards of 80,000 inhabitant*. The nous** are generally inferior to 

 those of Taoiore. There is a considerable trade in cotton -cloth, 

 jewellery, and horse equipments. The head -quarter* of the south 

 tlivitjon of the Madras army is at TrichinopolL The chief public 

 buildings are a palace, a mosque, and two Hindoo temple*, i'kandtr- 

 ytrf, is a fortified town, situated in 18 48' N. lat, 79 17' K. long., 

 about 85 miles N.W. from Madras. CkutyUpvt situated in 1 

 N. lat, 80* 3' E. long., on a feeder of the Palair, distant about 

 88 miles 8.8. W. from Madras. The town is irregularly built, and the 

 houses are of mean appearance. The fort ha* been allowed to fall 

 into decay. In 1751 it was taken by the French and retained by 

 them till 1752 when Captain, afterwards Lord (.'live retook the place. 

 t'unjcreram, called by the natives Kuuji, is situated in a fertile valley 

 watered by the small river Wegawutty, in 12 49' K. 1st, 79' 48' 

 E. long. The town is built in a straggling manner, and resembles a 

 series of village* interapened with extennive gardens and plantation*. 

 The streets, which are wide and regularly laid out, are planted on 

 each side with cocoa-nut tree* and bastard cedars. The houses are 

 only one story high ; they have mud wall* and are roofed with tiles. 

 Bach house U built in the form of a square, with a small court in 

 the centre. A considerable part of the inhabitants are weavers, and 

 employ themselves in making red handkerchiefs, turban*, and cloths 

 adapted for the dresses of the natives. Conjeveram is also the 

 residence of numerous Brahmins belonging to temples dedicated to 

 Siva and Vishnu, which are much frequented. The pagoda of Siva 

 is a large building said to contain louu pillars, many of them elabo- 

 rately sculptured. The pagoda dedicated to Vishnu Conjee is not so 

 large, but is more highly venerated. It was from this building that 

 the town obtained ita name of Conjeveram. There are numerous 

 pagodas, near which are placed large tanks ; in one of theee, situated 

 on the west aide of the great pagoda, every Brahmin who visits the 

 place for the first time must perform bis ablution*, and he must 

 spend money in charity; the sums thua raised being in fact . 

 to the support of the Brahmins belonging to the temple. 6> 

 situate,! in 12 12' X. lat, 79 28 E. long., distant 85 miles N.W. 

 from Pondicherry. It was formerly considered by the natives u the 

 strongest fort in the Carnatic. The works cover the summits and 

 great part of the sides of three detached rocky mountains, upwar< t of 

 600 feet high, and difficult of access : the whole are connected by 

 line* which inclose the plain between the mountains, and contain 

 within them a fortified barrier, dividing the works into an outer and 

 inner fort This fortress was built about the middle of the 16th 

 century, and wo* successfully strengthened by ita Mohammedan and 

 Mahratta possessors. It surrendered to the British in 1761, and has 

 since been completely neglected. NMore, situated on tho right bank 

 of the 1'c.nnair River, is a populous place, and has a considerable 

 amount of trade. PORDICHERRY, formerly the principal seat of the 

 French power in Hindustan, will be described in a separata article. 

 PtUtcat stands on the edge of a lake separated from the sea by a 

 low sandy beach, in 13 25' N. lat, 80 24' E. long., 23 mile* N. 

 from Madras. The Dutch formed a settlement here as early as 1609, 

 and after the loss of Ncgapatam made it their chief station on the 

 Coromandel coast. Vellon is situated on the right bank of the river 

 Palair; in 12 55' N. lat., 79 12' K. long., about 20 miles W. from 

 Arcot Vellora is a large fortress, containing soacious barracks and 

 a curious pagoda, commanding the main road from the coast of the 

 Carnatic to the province of Mysore. The fortress is surrounded by 

 a strong stone wall, with bastions and round towers at short distances, 

 and by a wide and deep ditch, over which is a causeway, forming 

 the only entrance. The town, which is Urge and populous, is con- 

 nected with the fortress by extensive outworks. It was besieged by 

 Tippoo Sail) in 1781, but unsuccessfully, and after the conquest of 

 Seringapatam it became the residence of his familv, bu 

 joining m a revolt in 1826 they were removed to Bengal, 

 is 14 miles N.W. from the town of Chingleput, in 12 48' N. l 

 79 68' E. long., and contains extensive military cantonment*. 

 H situated in 14 25' N. Ut, 79 47' E. long., 17 mile* 

 .lore. 



The climate of the Carnatic Payeenghaut, which has the *ei on 

 one side and an abrupt mountain ri.lge on the other, i* considered 

 to be the hottest in India. Contiguous to the coast the heat is 

 somewhat mitigated by the sea-breeze. The failure of this sea-breeze, 

 which sometimes occurs for several successive days, occasions a degree 

 of heat highly distressing to the inhabitant*, the tin rising 



to 180 in the shade. From May to July oc. iwers occur, 



and sometimes it rains heavily and continuously for three or four 

 day*, by which the air is cooled and vegetation assisted. The soil of 

 the province near the coast is a mixture of sea-sand and loam, sparingly 

 ixed with the remains of marine animals. In many parts the 

 earth is strongly impregnated with iron, ami in others there is in dry 

 weather a cot '. c iintnou *<lt upon the surface. 



The principal rivers of the province are the Pannair, tli Palm: 

 Colerun, and the Vaygaru. The Pannair rises in Mysore, nn 

 fortress of Nmiilv'lniL;, and taking a south -eimter. full* 



into the sea at Cnddalore, after a cotiroe. in< ,:, of 



about 260 miles. The source of the Palair i* very near that , 

 Pannair : it has a winding course towards the north-east of about 



