of the Old World. 141 



SECTION II. SOUTHERN INDIA. 



CHAPTER IX. 



TRICHINOPOLY. 



Trichinopoly. The evil influence of caste in India. The return 

 of Chineah, and our prospects of sport. My shooting-cart and 

 battery described. Preparations for a start. 



WAS quartered for some time at Trichinopoly, 

 - one of the dullest of our military stations in 

 Southern India, which city certain learned authorities 

 aver has only a single sheet of brown paper between 

 it and the infernal regions. Every Anglo-Indian will 

 tell you that it is famous for three things viz., mag- 

 nificent snipe-shooting, unrivalled cheroots, and deli- 

 cate and exquisitely wrought gold-chains. 



Trichy (short for Trichinopoly), like most other 

 Indian cities, possesses a stone citadel, formerly an 

 old pagoda, built on an almost inaccessible rock, 

 which rises isolated out of the plain and commands 

 the neighbouring country. This is surrounded by 

 a pettah or native town, fortified by double bas- 

 tioned walls of solid masonry, a deep ditch (which 



