1845.] from Pondicherry to Bey poor. 775 



The physical aspect of Coimbatore, though broken by hills on its 

 northern, western, and southern confines, presents, generally speaking, 

 an undulating open plain, sloping away southerly and easterly from 

 the great break of the Ghauts, — with an average elevation of about 

 900 foot above the sea. The Cauvery, to which the inferior lines of 

 drainage, viz. the Bowany, Noel, and Amberutty converge, carries off 

 the superfluous water to the Bay of Bengal. 



Its area is estimated at about 8,400 square miles, with a population 

 of upwards of 800,000, of which about 8-10ths are engaged in agricul- 

 ture and weaving. The number of females, according to the census 

 published in the Madras Almanack for 1839, slightly exceeds that 

 of the males, which whether fact or not, is a circumstance worthy of 

 enquiry, in a country where (among the Mahomedans) polygamy is 

 allowed, marriage a religious duty, and concubinage and prostitution 

 prevalent among all castes and sects. The revenue is estimated to 

 average 21 lacks of rupees annually. 



, Coimbatore, at an early period of its history, fell into the hands of 

 the Madura Rajas, and in the 17th century was wrested from them 

 by the Mysore Rajas, from whose hands it fell into those of Hyder and 

 Tippoo. The English took it from Tippoo in 1783, but restored it at 

 the peace 1784. Again taken possession of in 1790, repulsed the efforts 

 of Tippoo to storm it, but afterwards surrendered on terms which were 

 violated, and the garrison detained prisoners until the peace of 1702. 

 Since the fall of Seringapatam in 1799, it has formed an integral part 

 of our possessions. 



The population of the town of Coimbatore (1840) is said to be from 

 25,000 to 30,000 souls— composed chiefly of weavers, agriculturists, and 

 merchants, Brahmans of the three chief sects, as at Sankerry-droog. 

 Mussulmans, musicians and dancing girls are numerous here, as might 

 be expected. 



Tamul and Canarese are both spoken at Coimbatore, which ap- 

 proaches the southern boundary of the ancient kingdom of Karnata, 

 where Canarese almost exclusively prevails, and also the eastern 

 boundary of Malabar, where Malayalim i3 the vernacular language of 

 the country. 



Pass of Palghaut. — This great chasm in the wall of the Western 

 Ghauts is about fifteen miles in average breadth from N. to S. and 



