62 INDIA BEYOND THE GANGES. 



In-undated. All the lower part of the kingdom has its annual inundations, 



like the other tropical countries, which give it prodigious ferti- 

 lity. Borri's account of the peculiarity of the floods in this king- 

 dom is very curious. Tlie rains on the mountains during the 

 wet feafon are intermittent; they happen once a fortnight, and 

 laft three days at a time, bringing fertility and plenty to the 

 fubjacent country. This rain is called L/<r/; its arrival is cele- 

 brated by every one, from the king to the peafant, with the ut-- 

 moft feflivity. The overflowing of the Nile is not received in 

 E^ypt with greater rapture. The feafons in Cocbin-Chma may be 

 called four. The violent heats lall: during May^ "June, and July; 

 the rains fall in September, QBober, and November, and ab ae the 

 violence of the fun. \vi December, January, and February, the 

 cold northern winds prevale, accompanied by cooling fliowers. 

 In March, April, and Afo^, all the beauties of fpring appear, and 

 the fruits of every kind of vegetation blefs the country. 



Rice. The great harveft is that of rice; two fpecies are cultivated on 



the mountanous and dry foils ; one as white as fnow, and when 

 dreffed, of a flimy vifcous nature, made into paftes, fuch as ver- 

 micelli and the like. Both thefc kinds are exported to China in 

 great quantities ; the different forts of rice are the llaples of this 

 country. 



Sugar. The fugar-cane is another plant to which the Cochin-Chineje 



pay the utmoft attention, and cultivate in vaft abundance. 

 They are acquainted with mofl of the proceffes, and annually 

 manufadture great quantities of both white and brown fugars, 

 fo that their country fupplies China with the principal part of 

 this article, that vaft empire not producing fufficient for its own 



confumption. 



