EASTERN HINDOOSTAN. 99 



flowing of the fea on the low lands. Much of the neighboring 

 country is covered with vail forefts of bamboos. 



IxTO the weftern lide of the lake falls a fmall namelefs river, TripettiPa- 

 not v/orthy of mention, did it not Iqad to the famous Pagoda 

 Tyipetti^ the moft celebrated in the Deccan, feated on the top of 

 a mountain. The feaft of the deity to whom it is dedicated, is 

 annually celebrated in September, and the offerings made by the 

 concourfe of pilgrims is io great, that the Brahmins pay to go- 

 vernment an annual revenue of llxty thoufand pagodas, which 

 the Nabob of Arcot had affigned to the Englijh as a reimburfe- 

 ment of part of the expences of the war. In 1753, Mahomet 

 Comaul, an adventurer of the time, determined to make him- 

 felf mafter of this profitable place. He inftantly marched, but 

 was as foon followed by a party of Englijlo, and a large body of 

 troops fent by the Nabob : after two or three conflicts, Ma- 

 homet was difmounted from his elephant, made prifoner, and 

 had his head ftruck off as an example to other plunderers. 



The Pagodas, which are objedts of pilgrimage, are very nu- Pilgrimagis. 

 merovis, each of which has its peculiar deity, and all inhabited 

 by Brahmins, who take care to exalt to the devotees the virtues 

 of the tutelar faint. It is a common practice of Hindoos of 

 rank, on any difappointment or lofs, to vifit ftich a place. 

 Thus Colonel Cliye, after he had outwitted the rafcally Omi-' 

 chttnd, turned ghoftly father, and advifed him to make a dif- 

 tant pilgrimage. He took the advice, but returned infane, for 

 he had left foul and treafure in poffeffion of the more wily EU" 

 rope an. 



The land from Madras bends with a flight curvature for a 

 confiderable way, and then finifhes in a fickle form, with its 



O 2 point 



