778 Notes, chiefly Geological. [No. 166. 



Such is a Peshash (a devil) in the jungle. 



The Thermometer stood in the shade at 116°, and a death calm 

 prevailed in the surrounding atmosphere. 



Puducherry. — Near the little fort of Puducherry, which is in the 

 Pass, the laterite of Malabar (for the Salem boundary was crossed near 

 the Ponani stream) is seen resting on gneiss ; between this and Pal- 

 ghaut the country is less jungly, but still well wooded, with fine trees. 



Palghaut.— This town, fort, and military station stands near the 

 opening of the Pass on the Malabar coast, and is about fifty- two miles 

 direct distance from the sea, and about four miles W. of Puducherry. 

 The Ponani stream is navigable for boats to within fifteen miles of 

 Palghaut. 



The town is almost surrounded by the Agrarums of Brahmans and 

 enclosed estates of wealthy Nairs: it is laid out into neat streets: the 

 houses look clean, and are usually tiled or thatched with the bamboo 

 and palm leaf. 



The pagodas here and elsewhere in Malabar, (the old Malayalam 

 kingdom) differ from those of the Carnatic and Balaghat in being 

 covered with conical tiled roofs, like a Malay mosque, and in wood 

 being largely employed in their construction. The different physical 

 features of the country account sufficiently for this difference in the 

 religious architecture of the Malayalam nation. Granite is scarce, 

 and usually lies at a distance : the porous laterite would make indiffer- 

 ent roofing slabs ; whilst the great forests of Malabar yield a never fail- 

 ing and cheap supply of the finest timber. 



The roofs of the pagodas terminate in the usual gilded Calas. The 

 colossal equestrian statues so common in the Chola kingdom, are now 

 no longer seen, but in their room we have the isolated granite blocks of 

 Carculla carved into the gigantic statue of Gomuta Raya. 



The fort stands on the commanding ground on which the Military 

 lines are built, about three-quarters of a mile easterly from the pettah. 



The fort is small, but well put together, of stone, in shape quadran- 

 gular, and consists of a curtain flanked by round bastions ; the whole 

 surrounded by a wet ditch, covered- way, and glacis. The only gate 

 faces the east, and is protected by an outwork in the European style, 



