158 COTTON IN THE MADEAS PBESIDENCT. [CHAP. T. 



the most humid I ever liyed in ; and yet the rain, be- 

 yond a few showers, does not usually fall .in more than, 

 one year put of three or four. I believe also that there 

 are other regions of the globe to which the same re- 

 mark may be stOl more forcibly applied. 



230 The Eyots should now be left to themselves, with 

 such aid as the Revenue Establishments may give. — 

 I have made the foregoing remarks to show that I have 

 not taken a superficial view of this important question. 

 I give Dr. Wight the highest credit for his zeal and 

 iperseverance ; but had he even effected greater results 

 than he has done, I should still think that the Eyots 

 ought now to be left to themselves. The Eyots, how- 

 ever, will still have the advantage of such advice and 

 instruction as can be given them through the Collectors 

 and Revenue establishments ; and I propose that, after 

 the departure of Dr. Wight, his two subordinate as- 

 sistants, Messrs. Sherman and Cuxton, together with 

 the East Indian lads who have been in his service, 

 should be attached to the Eevenue establishments, at 

 least for a time. Accordingly, the arrangements I now 

 propose for Mr. Knnie, Dr. Wight, and the subordinates 

 are as follows. 



231 Mr. Finnic to remain in TinneveUy till October, to 

 instruct the East Indian lads in the use of the Gins, 

 etc. — Mr. Finnie's engagement with the East India 

 Company terminates in October next. He should 

 therefore remain in TinneveUy until that time, under 

 the orders of the Officiating Collector. He should at 

 once desist from all further purchases of Cotton. He 

 should also cease to interfere with the culture of Cotton, 

 beyond giving his advice when asked for; because if 

 he should tender his advice, and the crop should after- 

 wards fail, the failure would be attributed to his in- 

 novations. He should be ordered to devote his whole 

 time and attention to the instruction of the Natives in 

 the practical use of the gins, presses, churkas, threshers, 

 and other implements required in the cleaning and 

 preparation of the Cotton. One half of the East 

 In(Uan lads now under Dr. Wight in Coimbatore, 

 should be at once removed to TinneveUy, and placed 



