INDIA. 



65 



CoaM of 



Twenty-five miles east by south from Mangalot?, stands 

 Cumly, on a high point of land between two river-, 

 which run into a salt water lake, that in also divided from 

 the sea by a narrow sand bank. In the rainy season 

 both the rivers and the lake are fresh. From Cumly 

 for several leagues to the south, the coast is lined by a 

 range of salt water lakes, which, however, are of little 

 use to navigation, in consequence of the sand bank* 

 which lie between them and the sea. 



The coast of Malabar begins at the river Chandra- 

 jriri. in latitude 12" 27'. This coast is much indented 

 i lets of the sea and salt lagoons, lying within a 

 chain of sandy and narrow islands. These inlets run 

 for great lengths parallel to the coast, and receive the 

 mil and rapid screams that descend from the Ghauts. 

 They open to the sea by narrow and shallow channels. 

 The first remarkable spot on the coast of Malabar U 

 Mount Dilla, which is separated from the main land by 

 salt water creeks. The best bay on this part of the 

 coast U formed by a point of land, on which stands the 

 fat that protect* the entrance to the town of Cananore. 

 The town itself U situated at the bottom of the bay. 

 Tetlicherry, in latitude 1 1 44', succeeds; it stands on 

 a small river. The coast here U very low and sandy. 

 At Vadagherry, in latitude 1 1 35', the series of salt 

 la.ke commence, which nm without interruption to the 

 oath, forming a kind of inland navigation, protected 

 from the sra by a chain of sandy il uuls. Calicut U 

 situated on a river, navigable by boats, 100 miles up 

 the country ; k is the pott principally frequented by 

 the Arab* of Muscat. Paniany, 40 mita*Mith-ea*t 

 from Calicut, M situated on the south ud of a river, 

 which Bows from Animalaya, or Elephant Hill. The 

 entrance of this river, though wide, U to obstructed by 

 a bar, that only the trading boat* of the native* can 

 reach th. The aak lakes, ..land*, and small 



tin- f.r-t el .i.M.|urni,-. t., the -..,ii;i ,.l RwiMf, i- < <>- 



chin, which ia built on a very low island. The inlet 

 : navigable for vessel* of contidrrable burden. 

 Cap* CMDorin, the southern extremity of 1 

 inlatitiM). >IM! longitude 77" Si', i* in itself 



low and level ; but, about half a mile to the north of it, 

 there is the mountain of Kenan, the southern termina- 

 tion of the Ghaut*, the turnout of which ia said to be 

 1294 yards above the level of the sea. This i regard- 

 ed Inr mariners a* the cape. 



The south aaeUm extremity of Hindoatan ia occu- 

 pied by the coaet of Tinnevelfy. In it are no port* of 

 any laussmrl On some part* of it the tide rises only 

 r three feet. Between the island of Ceylon and 

 Ramen i* the island of Ramiasoram, about eleven 

 mile* long and six broad. It ia low and *andy. 1 he 

 strait between it and the main land ia about a mile 

 wide; but o obstructed by rocks, and with an entrance 

 from the north so very narrow, that it cannot be navi- 

 gated, except by venr mull vessel*. Thi* ia an uland 

 of great sanctity in the opinion of the Hindoos. From 

 t < alymeretothe river Cavery is the coast of Tan- 

 ef T*jan, jore, which i* so extremely low and flat, that the first 

 object* seen, in approaching it, are the tops of the co- 

 coa palm*. Negapatam, 48 miles to the east of the 

 town of Tanjore, hi latitude I0 4V, ia situated on a 

 small creek. Only coasting Teasels, or tbips for nftash 

 menu, frequent it. Tranquebar, in latitude 1 1 *, i* si- 

 tuated on a small river, acroM the mouth of which is a 

 bar. The but roadstead on thi* part of the coa*' 

 the town of Portonovo, in latitude 1 1" SO' ; it ia sheU 

 tered oVthe south by a shoal Pondicberry, on the ru 



VOL III. FABT I. 



VIT Gingie, is a port of little consequence with respect Statistics. 

 to trade, as the river can only receive small vessels ,' " ~~ 

 even during the rainy season. Its roadstead, however, r '. 

 is not so dangerous as that of Madras ; and landing 

 may occasionally be accomplished in ships' boats. To 

 the north of Sadras, and about 38 miles south by west 

 from Madras, the coast seems to have been encroached Knrroarh- 

 upon by the sea, to a considerable extent About 100 m tof tlie 

 yards from the sea, there is a high rock, covered with **"* 

 Hindoo sculpture and imagery. There are also other 

 rocks washed by the sea, which, by the incriptions on 

 them, appear to have been formerly at a considerable 

 distance from it. According to the traditions of the 

 brahmins, a large city, called Mahabalipuram, or the 

 city of the Great Ball, stood here in very remote times ; 

 and the surf is said still to break over its ruins. Ma- Madras. 

 dras, in latitude 13 5', and longitude 80 25', lies on a 

 coast, where a rapid current runs, and on which a dread- 

 ful surf breaks, even when the weather is the most 

 moderate ; the shore here is perfectly strait. Hence the 

 roadstead of Madras U the wont in India ; the most 

 dangerous season to remain in it, is from the beginning 

 of October to the end of December ; Urge ships gene- 

 rally anchor about two miles from the shore. \\ hen 

 ta surface is Unusually high, catamarans are ul t 

 convey passengers from the Manilla boats ; the latter 

 are formed of materials that easily yield to the stroke 

 of the waves, and are always employed between the 

 ships in the road* and the shore. In the latitude 

 \SfOf, the coast of the Camatic terminates, and that of 

 the northern Circars begins. After naming Masulipa- 

 tam, on a branch of the Kriahnah, and some other plains 

 of lea* importance, we arrive at the bay of Coring*, in r<:: 8 

 latitude 10 4i>' ; into this bay one of the branches of b '. v - 

 the Godavery falls ; a bar of mud lies across its en- 

 trance, through which ships must be forced. Thi* U 

 the only place on the east coast of Hindostan where 

 there i* amooth water during the south-west monsoon, 

 so that a ship of above 200 ton* can be thoroughly re- 

 fitted here by being ACM ato*. A little to the north of 

 Coringa bay. the low coast terminates, and a ridge of 

 high mountain* commence, which line the coast to 

 Ganjam in latitude 1 9* 23'. There i* nothing remark- 

 able we proceed northward*, till we arrive at Point 

 Palmycaa, which form* the entrance into the Bay of 

 Balasore on the south. A reef extend* nearly 10 

 mile* to the ENE. of thi* point There is but little 

 depth of water in the Bay of Balasore ; in some placet 

 the water leaves the abore for half a mile out at low " v '" B " 

 tide ; and even at the distance of three league* there is 

 not more than seven or eight fathoms : this ari*cs from 

 the immenae quantity of mud and sand carried out by 

 the Ganges. The shorn of the bay are intersected by 

 everal small streams, some of which are navigable. 

 The town of Balaam stand* on the Boorre Brllaun 

 river, where the tide commonly rises eight feet : at 

 high water vessel* of 100 ton* burden can cross the bar. 

 The coaat of Bengal commences at the town of Pit- 

 ley on the Subunreeka river, about 22 mile* N. E. from Cowt ot 

 Balatore. in latitude 21 42'. This was formerly a port B *"**^ 

 of considerable trade, but it i* now little frequentr.l. in 

 consequence of the flood having formed a dangerous bar 

 acroa* the mouth of the river, a* well as wathed away 

 a great part of the town itoelf. The course of the 

 Ganges to the sea ha* been already described. Across 

 the entrance of the Hooghly, or western branch of it, 

 there are several sound*, which render the navigation 

 difficult anil dangerous, particularly two, called the 

 coatnu and western tea reef*. The whole of the coast 



