1846.] from Pennaur to Pondicherry. '207 



Chingleput. — This is the judicial head- quarters and capital of the 

 Jaghire of the same name ; it is situated about thirty- six miles to the 

 SSW. of Madras, at the base of a small cluster of hills ; the loftiest 

 not being higher than the Flagstaff hill at Palaveram, and composed of 

 a precisely similar variety of hornblende rock (garnetiferous), and as- 

 sociated with binary granite, or pigmatite. 



The hornblende rock passes into light shades of green. It has been 

 largely used as a building stone in the construction of the fort, which 

 is extensive, and said to be nearly two miles in circumference. It, as 

 well as the town, lies on a stream, which falls into the Palaur, about half 

 a mile to the west, almost surrounded by this hilly cluster. A wet 

 ditch surrounds the outer walls which enclose a citadel, — the remains of 

 the ancient palace of the native princes, government offices, and bar- 

 racks, &c. Near the outer gate is a weaving establishment : and on a 

 neighbouring eminence stands the European burial ground. The na- 

 tive town is populous ; the houses are, for the most part, built of mud, 

 thatched, or tiled. 



Chingleput was early a place of importance, and for some time the 

 residence of the Hindu princes of the Bijanugger dynasty. 



During the early wars, when the French and English were strug- 

 gling for empire in the East, the occupation of Chingleput, which lies 

 on the great southern road to Madras from Pondicherry, was a point of 

 much consequence. It was captured by the French in 1761, but 

 retaken the following year by Capt. Clive. It was here the English 

 army under Sir Hector Munro retreated (11th September, 1780) from 

 Conjeveram, after the fatal massacre of Baillie's detatchment near 

 Perambaucum. 



The soil in the vicinity is sandy, but in some places overlies a stiff 

 clay used for bricks and tiles. The cultivation is principally of rice, 

 irrigated by a tank which lies to the east of the Madras road. 



Carangooly. — The sandy bed, sometimes occupied by a muddy torrent 

 of the Palaur, is crossed about two and a half miles SW. from Chingle- 

 put. It is about three-quarters of a mile from bank to bank. This river, 

 which takes its rise in the table lands of Mysore in the elevated 

 tracts, (their water sheds) between Colar and Nundi-droog, pursues a SE. 

 course by Baitmungalum and Watlaconda-droog, to the Pullur gap in 

 the eastern ghauts, whence it descends to the vale of Amboor. Here, 

 following the north-easterly direction and slope of the valley which it 



