VOL. VI.] PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. 689 



many years in the East Indies, especially in Ceylon, has taken great pains to 

 give an account not only of the late civil transactions of his countrymen and 

 others in those parts, but also of many of the observables in natural and moral 

 things in these countries. His natural observations are chiefly these following: — 

 That in the haven of Surat, a north north-cast and a south west moon makes 

 the highest water. That the elephants made to fight with one another bef(jre 

 the Great Mogul, manage the combat with a far greater agility and courage 

 than one would imagine; obediently falling to and desisting according to the 

 word given, and embracing one another most lovingly with their trunks, as soon 

 as they are commanded to end the combat. That on the coast of Malabar the 

 nights are very cold, and that there falls a great dew, especially in the months 

 of January, February, and March, which is followed by intolerable heats in the 

 day; as also, that the land breezes begin in the morning about nine and ten 

 o'clock, and the sea breezes soon after sun-setting. The productions of that 

 country are chiefly pepper, aloe, cardimom, ginger, some salt petre, and gum 

 lack, also bezoar- stones, which are best at Cananor; likewise mirabolans, ta- 

 marinds. — That pepper grows best in shady places, has a weak stem, to be sup- 

 ported like vines; having on each branch commonly six clusters, each a foot 

 long, in colour like unripe grapes ; that they gather it, being green, in October 

 and November, exposing it to the sun to dry, whereby it grows black in a few 

 days. That at Cananor there are sometimes found bezoar-stones, of the size 

 not only of a pigeon's egg, which may be had for 6 or 7 reals, but also of that 

 of a hen's egg, for 12 reals a-piece. That most of the inhabitants of Porca in 

 the country of Malabar have swollen legs, ascribed to the brackish and salt petre 

 water, they must drink there. That about Tutecoryn, in Malabar, is one of the 

 three chief pearl fishings in the East Indies, comprizing Manaar and Aripou, 

 situate between Comorin and Ceylon; the other two places for taking that rich 

 commodity being Ormus in Persia, and Ainam on the coast of China. That 

 the pearl-bearing oysters are hard and tough, and not good to eat; that they 

 must be dived for 7, 8, Q, 10, fathoms deep; that all years do not equally yield 

 pearls, in regard that sometimes the pearl-banks are covered with sand, and 

 sometimes the oysters are too small; that the pearls of Tutecoryn and Manaar 

 are inferior in goodness to those of Ormus, those being neither so white nor 

 bright as these. That the best stained cloths are made about Maliapour, to 

 which a peculiar kind of water springing there is thought to be very conducive. 

 That between Penna and Caleture, north of Palecatta, on the coast of Coro- 

 mandel, there grows the best essaye; which is a small root used in staining In- 

 dian cloths with fixed colours. That at Petapouli, near Masulipatan, on the 

 same coast^ there grows another excellent essaye, called tambrevelle, yielding 

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