1844.] Political Events in the Carnatic, from 1564 to 1687. 583 



Patans of Kurpa,* who established themselves there about this period ; 

 and within a few years extended their possessions along the Eastern 

 Ghauts to the Cavery, including Barramahl, most of which at this time 

 belonged to Mysore. The part they afterwards acted in, the transac- 

 tions of these times will excuse this being noticed here, though at the 

 period we are speaking of, they were not yet known as pretenders to 

 power or consideration among the governments of the Peninsula. 



9. The Carnatic-Hydrabad- Pay en- Ghaut was divided into 14 

 Hydrabad-Car- Circars, containing 129 mahals, composed of the 



afterwai^the Pro- whole country extending from Guntoor to the Cole- 



vin M e, u I t ie u Uten p I l cy roon> along the sea-coast of Coromandel : afterwards 

 or Nabobship ot Ar- » o » 



cot - better known under the denomination of the Soobah 



of Arcot.f 



GingeeJ was the first capital designed for this province by the Mo- 

 guls, Arcot afterwards capital of the Soobah of the name. The Euro- 

 pean sea-ports and factories of Pullicat, Madras, Sadras, Pondi- 

 cherry, Tranquebar, Porto Novo and Negapatam were in this division ; 

 where in the confusion of the times, we find the European agents 

 alarmed and suffering from the predatory incursion of the Marhattas, Mo- 

 guls, Patans, &c. to procure a precarious protection by frequent pre- 

 sents and bribes to the officers of all descriptions. Yet amidst these 

 commotions, we find that the security derived to property, encouraged 

 many of the natives to settle under their protection, and thus laid the 

 foundation of the prosperity of these colonies that were at this time but 

 weak and defenceless. Further details of this province, which was 

 shortly to be the seat of events that ultimately led to a total change 

 of government and power in the country, would be here out of place, 

 ttian as they may be descriptive of the state of the country n general. 



10. The Carnatic-Beejapoor appears to have been altogether consi- 

 dered as Balla-Ghaut, unless we except the dependencies south of the 



* See Memoirs of the family of Kurpa, Canoul, &c. 



f The principal Purgunnasor Mahals are enumerated in the Dufter. The tract lying 

 South of the Palar, including Vellore, Gingee and Barramahl, are denominated Moof- 

 tesee, being lately conquered. The tract North of that, extending to Guntoor, including 

 the present Jagheer, Nellore, Angole, &c. are all divided into Circars, see Dufter. 



X See Havart and Scott for the transactions at Gingee, and the Madras Records fov 

 the Embassy to Seevajee, under the year 1672. 



