621 



COCHIN-CHINA. 



COCHIN-CHINA. 



Cochin is the beat port in the presidency of Madras, and the only 

 port for ship-building, and there are no places throughout the whole 

 extent of the western coast which afford shelter to large vessels except 

 Bombay and Cochin. In this part of Hindustan is found a very 

 remarkable system of inland navigation called the Backwater. It is 

 a kind of lake, or lagoon, which extends from Chowgaut (10 40') on 

 the north to near Trivaudrum, the capital of Travancore (8 30') on 

 the south, a distance of 170 or 180 miles. An artificial continuation 

 northward of this inland water-system is navigable for boats during 

 the rains, from Chowgaut to Cotah, 1 6 miles south of Tellicherry, a 

 farther distance of about 90 miles. The Backwater runs nearly 

 parallel to the sea, sometimes at the distance of a few hundred yards, 

 at others of 4 or 5 miles. Its breadth varies from 12 and 14 miles to 

 200 yards ; its depth from many fathoms to a few feet. This Back- 

 water receives the rivers which 'descend from the mountains that lie 

 to the eastward. There are six channels of communication between 

 the Backwater and the sea, but only one is navigable for ships, being 

 that on the southern bank on which the town of Cochin is built. 

 There is a bar at its mouth, but the depth of water on it is 17 or 18 

 feet at high-water of spring-tides. The anchorage without is good, 

 and the gales during the south-west monsoon rarely blow with such 

 viult nee as is experienced in this season in the harbour of Bombay. 

 Within the bar the Backwater expands into a fine oestuary, 3, 4, and 

 6 miles wide, at least 12 miles long, and deep enough for the' largest 

 veaaela. The narrow strip of land between the Backwater and the 

 sea is sandy, but its lower tracts are thickly overgrown with cocoa-nut 

 palms, which yield a great quantity of fruit. The country east of the 

 Backwater is low and level along its banks, and produces rich crops of 

 rice. Farther inland it rises into low bilk, partly covered "with hi:;h 

 forest-trees and partly with grass; but the valleys between them are 

 exceedingly fruitful. Cotton, hemp, oils, pepper, ginger, turmeric, 

 cardamoms, betel-nut, copra (cocoa-nut kernels cut into slices and dried 

 for exportation), ivory, gold-dust, iron, and drugs are extensively pro- 

 duced. Indigo grows spontaneously, and the cane, coffee, clove, nut- 

 megs, pimento, and raw-silk succeed well. The hills are covered with 

 forests, the timber cut from which is floated down the various small 

 rivers which fall into the Backwater, and is then easily conveyed to 

 Cochin. Much timber is sent to Bombay, but hardly any vessels are 

 built at Cochin for European merchants. The Imaum of Huskat 

 however has had most of his vessels built there. A few country 

 vessels are annually built. The trade of this place is still consider- 

 able. Europeans rarely visit the port ; but an active commerce is 

 carried on between it and Bombay in country vessels. The trade with 

 Arabia ami the countries surrounding the Persian Gulf is more im- 

 portant. As these countries have no forests, they receive from Cochin 

 all the timber required for repairing their different craft. There is 

 also some commerce carried on with Singapore. In the vicinity of 

 Cochin a number of Catholic and Indian Christians are found, and also 

 many Jews. Cochin is the seat of a Roman Catholic bishop, in whose 

 diocese Ceylon is included. There are also Protestant missionary 

 establishments at Cochin, and several English schools. 



COCHIN-CHINA, called also ANAM, is in that part of Eastern 

 Asia which is usually known as India without the Qanges, of which it 

 forms the eastern portion. It extends from 8 40' to about 23 N. Int., 

 and from 102 to 109 20' E. long. Its length from north to south is 

 about 980 miles, but in width it varies from 100 to 300 miles. Craw- 

 furd assigns to it an area of 98,000 square miles ; but Berghaus makes 

 ita surface about 140,000 square miles. On the W. it borders on the 

 kingdom of Sium, or Shan ; on the N.W. on the unknown regions of 

 Laos, or Lactho ; and on the N. on the Chinese provinces of Yun-nan, 

 Quang-si, and Quaug-tun (Canton). To the east of it extends the 

 sea, called by the Chinese Nan-hai, or the Southern Sea, which here 

 forma an extensive gulf between the northern province of Cochin- 

 China and the island of Hai-nan, called the Gulf of Tonkin. To the 

 south of Cochin-China extends the southern part of the China Sea. 

 The northern part of the coast is rocky, and is fringed by a great 

 number of islands. Among these are a group of small reefs called 

 the Triangles, and the dangerous Macclesfield shoals. Vessels running 

 aground here have to dread not only the heavy swell of the sea, but 

 also the fierce attacks of the marauding Cochin-Chinese, who sail up 

 and down looking out for such windfalls, falling upon and plundering 

 the wreck without mercy. At 21 N. lat., or near the mouth of the 

 river Song-ca, and farther to the south the shores are low, and partly 

 sandy and swampy. For nearly 400 miles along this coast extend the 

 Paracol shoals, which may be described as an overflowed continent, 

 lying just beneath the surface of the water. Between the shoals and 

 tho coast is left a narrow navigable passage, which is constantly used 

 by vessels sailing in these seas. Near 17 N. lat. commence a series 

 of capes several hundred feet in elevation, between which large bays 

 run deep into the land. This general character continues to Cape 

 James (10 17' N. lat.) The coast is lined with numerous small rocky 

 islands and cliffs, but it contains safe and excellent harbours. The 

 rcina-urler of the coast from Cape James to the boundary of Siam is 

 low and mostly swampy, being formed by the alluvial deposits of the 

 river Maekhaun, or Camboja. 



Cape James is the southern extremity of an extensive mountain 

 range, which as far as the parallel of Cape Padaran (11 20' N. lat.) 

 run* north-eaat and then about due north to 14" N. lat., whence it 



continues with a north-north-western course to 16 N. lat. Farther 

 north the range is little known. It occupies perhaps a hundred miles 

 in width, and seems to consist of a number of parallel ridges. The 

 mountains in the range are of considerable height. A road, described 

 as very difficult and dangerous, leads through the mountainous dis- 

 trict, forming a communication between the towna of Sai-gun and 

 Phu-yen. 



Several short offsets which branch off towards the sea cover the 

 greatest part of the maritime districts between 10 20' and 17 N. lat. ; 

 some of them are 4000 feet above the sea. The range which, in about 

 17 30', forms the boundary between Cochin-China and Ton-kin con- 

 tains a depression, forming a mountain pass, about 6 miles in width, 

 which is shut in by a wall, traversed by an artificial road, which leads 

 from Hue to Kecho. The length of this road is estimated at 400 or 

 500 miles. 



The boundary between Cochin-China and the Chinese province of 

 Quang-si is partly formed by the river Ngaunan-kiang, and partly by 

 a mountain range, which seems to be a lateral range of the Yu-ling, 

 a mountain system of Southern China. 



The northern part of Cochin-China, which formerly constituted the 

 separate kingdom of Tonkin, comprehends an extensive plain, sur- 

 rounded, except where it borders on the Gulf of Tonkin (between 

 19 30' and 21 N. lat.), by mountains, which increase in height as 

 they recede from the sea. This plain appears to extend above 

 100 miles in length and width. Being very low, a great portion of it 

 is annually inundated by the river Song-ca, which fertilises the soil, 

 so that two or three crops of rice are annually cut. It is by far the 

 most fertile and populous part of the country. The valleys which 

 run up far into the mountains are equally fertile : the greatest part 

 of them may easily be irrigated, and the mountains themselves are 

 rich in metals. The Song-ca, or Sang-coy, the principal river of this 

 country, rises in the mountain region of Yun-nau in China, in two 

 branches the Ho-ti-kiang and Li-sieu-kiang which run nearly parallel 

 in a south-eastern direction till they enter Cochin-China, where they 

 unite, and take the name of Song-ca (Great River). Before this river 

 enters the sea it divides into numerous branches, two of which are 

 navigable. The whole course of the river is estimated to bo about 

 400 miles in length. 



The country east of the mountain range, between 19 30' and 15 

 N. lat., consists of an alternation of small plains and intervening 

 mountain ridges. The elevations are in some places covered with 

 forests. Cultivation extends a considerable height up the sides of 

 many of the mountains. Most of the plains are irrigated and well 

 cultivated. The rivers which traverse them have a short course, but 

 are generally navigable for some miles. In some places the plains are 

 traversed by canals. 



The country which extends from Cape Avarella to the neighbour- 

 hood of Cape James is mountainous. The rocky masses approach so 

 close to the sea as to leave a level tract along the beach only in a few 

 places. In its numerous indentations a few narrow valleys of small 

 extent occasionally appear, mostly inhabited by fishermen. The 

 interior of this part of the country is said to contain much cultivated 

 ground, and to have a numerous population. 



That portion of Cochin-China which lies to the west of the mountai u 

 range constituted till lately the principal part of the independent 

 kingdom of Camboja, or Cambodia. The southern portion, which is 

 imperfectly known, consists, except near the boundary of Siam, of an 

 immense plain, which appeal's to be formed of the alluvium of the 

 great river by which it is traversed. The shores and the adjacent 

 cuuutry, as far as the tide ascends, are covered with trees and bushes. 

 About 30 miles from the sea the ground begins to be cultivated and 

 is exceedingly fertile. In the interior there are it is said numerous 

 fresh-water lakes and swamps. 



Two large rivers traverse this plain. The Sai-gon, or Saung, which 

 runs through its eastern portion, has been navigated by European 

 vessels as far up as tho town of Sai-gon, but farther northward its 

 course is not known. Towards its mouth it sends off two or more 

 branches, which join the eastern arui of the great river of Camboja. 

 This river, called by the Birmaus Maekhaun, is said to send off in the 

 upper part of its course various lateral branches which fertilise the 

 country through which they flow, and then reunite with the river. 

 About 150 miles from its mouth is the ancient capital of Camboja, 

 Pontaipret, to which European vessels ascended in the 17th century, 

 but this navigation has been discontinued. Some distance below this 

 town the river sends off to the west and south-west numerous arms, 

 which inclose and traverse an extensive delta, that stretches out into 

 the sea with an acute angle. Most of these arms are navigable for 

 large river-barges during the rainy season. To make the navigation 

 continuous through the whole year a canal was made from it in 1820, 

 which joins the principal river some miles south of Panompeng, the 

 modern capital of Camboja. The three principal mouths of the Maek- 

 haun lie on the eastern side of the delta, and are all navigable for 

 vessels of considerable burden up to the capital of the country. The 

 river Maekhaun is supposed to have its source in the Chinese province 

 of Yun-uan ; and it has been estimated that its entire course is about 

 1500 miles. It reaches Camboja through the Laos territory. 



The climate of the plain of Camboja resembles that of Bengal. The 

 rainy seasons last from the end of May or the beginning of June to 



