WESTERN HINDOOSTAN. i8i 



^ fertile foil and temperate climate, this mountainous country is 

 ♦< a fund of wealth, that requires only peace and commerce to 

 " render inexhauftible. It is a beautiful fcene to contemplate ; 

 " a delightful journey to the traveller ; but a molt arduous 

 " march, and formidable barrier to an invading army." 



From Cape Comorin I take my departure for the illand of IsleofCal- 



P £ N T Y N 



Ceylon^ the neareft part of which, the ifle of Calpe?ityn, is about 

 a hundred and fifty miles diftant. The intervening fea is the 

 gulph of Manaar^ which grows narrower and narrower till it 

 reaches the fragments of the prior jundion with the continent, 

 of w^hich Cape Koiel^ a large promontory of the Maraivars, and 

 various rocks, are parts. The Cape will be defcribed in my 

 progrefs from Cape Comorin along the eaftern coafts of Hin^ 

 doojlan. 



Before Cape Koiel is the infula-foUs of FUny, lib. vi. 22, the RAMANAKoiEt. 

 ifle of Ramana Koiel, or the ifle of the temple of the god 

 Rama, founded near the edge of the water, and on vaft ftones, 

 to break the force of that element. Rama had a right to a 

 temple oppofite to Ceylon, for he killed the giant Ravanen, king 

 of that ifland, and placed his brother, Viboucbanen, on the 

 throne. Ratmj was highly venerated in this country. The 

 capital of the Marawars, and the refidence of the prince, was 

 named, in honor of the deity, Ramana-dabaram, The paffage 

 between this illand and the continent is called Odioroa paflage. 

 It is extremely fhort, about five miles broad, and not exceeding 

 in depth three feet. 



From the eaftern end of the ifle o^ Ramana Koiel, js a chain 

 of rocks which runs quite acrofs the narrow channel to the ille 



of 



