294 ACCOUNT OF TRIGONOMETRICAL 



After the observations were completed at Mulla- 

 punnabettam Nov. 1804, the western monsoon being- 

 then over, and the favourable season on the Malabar 

 coast approaching, it became necessary that some , 

 previous knowledge of the country should be had, 

 as I found that my intended direction would take me 

 across the Bullum district, which is a part of the 

 ghauts forming a curve convex to the eastward, and, 

 in consequence, is at too great a distance to discover 

 any object on the sea coast; for I had all along en- 

 tertained a hope of tinding two or three stations, on 

 the tops of these high mountains, fiom which to 

 intersect the .flag staves at Cannanore, Teilicheny, and 

 Maiigalore. For the purpose of selecting stations I 

 had detached Lieut. Kater, one of my assistants, 

 who after encountering many difficulties, succeeded 

 in the choice of two, one on the top of Balroyndroog, 

 in the Bednore^To\\ncQ, and the other on KoondhuUi/y 

 a mountain in the Koorg. The distance between 

 them has been derived from the base, MuUapwma- 

 hetta and Daesauneegooda ; as is also the fifth great 

 distance connectiiig the meridians oii Mullapunnabetta 

 and Balroyndroog. These stations, however, being 

 too remote from the sea, I decided on descending the 

 ghauts, and on the distance between them as a base, 

 a series of triangles was carried through to Mangalore, 

 and thence dovviT^the coast to Alount DcUl and 

 Cannanore. 



It will no doubt be noticed, that the great extent 

 from Bangalore to the sea coast required that another 

 base should liave been measured to verify the truth 

 of the triangular operations, and it was my intention 

 that it should have been done, but circumstances and 

 various avocations prevented it, till the season became 

 so far advanced that every other object would have 

 been lost. I had to fix the meridian at Balroyndroog^ 



