﻿ACROSS THfe PENINSULA Of INDIA. 323 



hopes no very serious error cau arise from the wear 

 of the chain. 



COFFERS. 



Those were of twenty feet each in length, six 

 inches wide in the middle, three at the extremities, 

 and about four inches deep ; the sides were near 

 seven inches, and passed below the bottom two 

 inches — they were not of the dimensions of those of 

 General Roy, on account of thedithculty of pro- 

 curing boards for the purpose. The same difficulty 

 obliged mc to be satisfied with five in place of fifteen ; 

 but as I had a great numl)er of people with me, I 

 apprehended no great difficulty in taking out the 

 chain and laying it on the ground while the coffers 

 were moved forward. 



PICKETS. 



Twelve strong pickets of three inches diameter, 

 hooped and shod with iron, were made use of — they 

 M'ere of different lengths, from three to four feet; 

 on the top of each picket was placed a piece of very 

 hard seasoned wood, eight inches in length and four 

 in breadth, on the under side of which was fixed with 

 two screws, a hoop of iron, fitted to receive the one 

 on the picket, and to screw firmly upon it by a 

 small screw on the side, when placed properly in the 

 line. This simple contrivance seems to answer the 

 intended purpose for receiving and supporting the 

 ends of the coffers ; the two pickets on which the 

 brass register heads were placed, are in all respects 

 the same as those described by General Roy. 

 There is also the same apparatus for the drawing post 

 and weight post, only in place of the iron ferrule, the 

 brass clamp and pulley are fixed upon pieces of very 



Y '^ hard 



