WEST AND SOUTH COASTS OF CEYLON. 429 



fea, not a veftige of foil appearing. On entering our 

 boat at feven A. M.* we were detained fome moments 

 to wait for our domefticks going through the neceffary 

 ceremonies and ablutions under the direction of the 

 Brahmen; and hoifting fail for the land of demi-gods 

 and Dewatas (the laft objeft feen being ihe fignal pole,) 

 we coafted in fight and to the fouth of Adam's bridge, 

 which we could only diftinguifli by the breaking of a 

 furf on it at detached intervals, and came in fight of 

 Tabnanar, the weft point of Manar, at two P. M. the 

 courfe being E. S. E. The coaft of this ifland at Tal- 

 manar and along its coaft appeared low and covered 

 with cocoa and other trees, and buflies, extending to 

 the fand bank near the water's-edge. 



The ifland of Maiiar is not high, has no hills, and 

 appears to be a bed of fhelly fand, worked up by the 

 waves, and clothed with trees, among which the cocoa 

 predominates. This illand is feparated from the main 

 of CeyloTiy as Ramiferum is from the coaft, by a channel 

 about two miles over ; but this only appears at full tide, 

 as the real channel or river, winding clcfe to the fort, 

 is very narrow*, and though deeper than the reft, at the 

 bar not above two and half feet at low water. Whe- 

 ther this narrow paffage, and that of Pambam, are worn 

 out by the a6lion of the current fetting in different di- 

 reftions along the coaft, as the monfoon varies ; or whe- 

 ther the iflands, and the ridge of Adam's bridge, are 

 thrown up and formed by the periodical winds and cur- 

 rents, afting on the fhifting fands accumulated in the 

 narroweft part of the Ceylon channel, is a fubjeft of cii^- 

 rious inveftigation, which would require fome time and 

 experience to examine : the enquiry might be rendered 

 ufeful however, in fuggefting means of deepening the 

 channels, or preventing their being filled up when deepened^ 

 by the fand thrown in by the S. W. and N. W. monfoonst. 



It 



* Jaimary 6, 1796. 

 + Baldeus fays, that the rortuguefe fleet efcapcd through it; and 

 that th; Tcwver, or native governor, had a v/ay of opening and filling 



up 



