Ii6 EASTERN H I N D O O S T A N. 



he, " lliips bound for the Aurea Cberfonefus, or peninfula of 

 « Malacca, took their departure." Prior to the rife of Madras', 

 this place was the great emp07'luni of the eaftern coaft of Hin~ 

 doojlan ; it was at that time an independent port, and frequented 

 by E^^/i/?', and veffels of other nations. The coaft is low, bot- 

 tom oozy, and the tide rifes about four feet. The Ea_l} Indiar 

 Pilot and jyApres make the Ki/l?tab divide into three branches, 

 and form three ifland3,on the moft northern of which ftands Af^sy^ 

 Julipatam. Fatavi always fignifies a city ; here, poflibly, that of 

 Mejfolia might have flood : it was antiently an emporium fa- 

 mous for its commerce, being happy in a harbour capable of 

 receiving fliips of pretty conliderable burden, and the only one 

 from Cape Comorin to this place that could receive one of three 

 hundred tons; its trade is chintz, and painted cloth, i.e. calli- 

 coes ; its dyes are famous all over India, produced from a 

 plant, Hamilton, i. 370, calls Sbaii, growing on the grounds 

 overflown by the fpring-tides ; it is alfo famed all over India for 

 its fnufF, of the moft exquifite flavor. The Mogid had in Ha-^ 

 milton^s time a cuftom-houfe here ; we, our fad:ory, which was 

 built with teekwood; we coveted fomewhat more, our ambition 

 was conqueft. The Frencb got the ftart of us,, and in 1750 took 

 the town by furprife, by means of a force fent frora Pondicberry^K. 

 M. Btiffi concerted the plan, the ableft officer the French ever 

 had in India, next to La Bourdonnais ; they did not profit of 

 their fuccefs more than a few years, for in April, in the year 

 I759> we agahi pofTefTed the place t. 



The northern boundary of the bay of Majfulipatam is, like 



* Ormcj i. p. 146. t Same, ii. p. p. 480. 489. 



the 



