6 EASTERN HINDOOSTAN. 



MofcoWi in 1689, aged 84 ; a ftrong proof of the predominancy 

 of a ruling paffion. 

 Chank Shells. The Pearl Mufiel is not the only objedl of the diver. There 

 is a confiderable trade carried on in the fliells called Chanks or 

 Sliankos, or oblation fliells, which are in great efteem with the 

 Mahometans^ for making bracelets and thumb-rings, which are 

 made ufe of in dra\ving the bows. The Hindoos alfo make 

 them ferve to hold oil, to illuminate their pagodas. The feafon 

 of fifliing is from the middle of December till the middle of 

 May. It is the Murex 'Trltonis of Linno'.us^ Rumph. Muf, 

 tab. xxviii. fig. c^6o. Bonan. iii. 188. It is common to India, 

 Africa, and the Mediterranean, and is ftill nfed in inany parts 

 as a trumpet for blowing alarms or giving fignals : it fends 

 forth a deep and hollow found. They were in ufe among the 

 Romans ^n. their earlier days. 



Buccina jam prifcos cogebat ad arma Quirites. 



Cypr^ea Mr. Efcheljkroon, p. 330, add?, that abundance of the Cyprcea 



Moneta, or Co-zvries, are alfo found here. That author's account 

 of Ceylon is added to Wolfs hiftory of that ifland. 



Salt-pws. ^ll the coaft on the Madura and Ceylonefe lide is low, and 



well adapted for falt-pans. A great quantity of fait is made 

 here and in Ceylon. The Dutch wifely confine the bufinefs to 

 thefe parts, and prohibit the making of it in every other fettle- 

 ment they have in India. They keep their warehoufes always 

 filled, and if there happen to be a fuperfluity, they Ipoil it by 

 mixing it with fand, or flinging it into the fea. By their pof- 

 feflion of this neceffary of life, they make it the moft powerful 



w^eapon 



