OR CUTTACK. 193 



The town of Puri Jagannath owes its size and importance entirely to 

 its connection with the temple. It contains 5741 houses. Every span of 

 it is holy ground, and the whole of the land is held free of rent, on the tenure 

 of performing certain services, in and about the temple. The principal 

 street is composed almost entirely of the religious establishments called 

 Mat'hs, built of masonry, having low pillared verandas in front, and plantati- 

 ons of trees interspersed. Being very wide, with the temple rising majesti- 

 cally at the southern end, it presents by no means an unpicturesque appear- 

 ance, but the filth and stench, the swarms of religious mendicants and other 

 nauseous objects, which offend one's senses in every part of the town, quite 

 dispel any illusion which the scene might otherwise possess. Fine luxu- 

 riant gardens and groves enclose the town on the land side, and produce 

 the best fruit in the province. The stately and beautiful Callophyllum 



Inophyllum, called by Dr. Ainslie the Alexandrian Laurel, grows here 

 in great abundance, and the Cashew-nut thrives with peculiar luxuriance. 

 The environs exhibit some fine tanks, as the Indra Daman, Chandan, 

 Markandeswar Talao, &c, which are supposed to be very ancient ; and the 

 inquisitive stranger who may be disposed to explore amidst the sand hills 

 situated between the sea and the S. W. face of the town, will find many 

 ancient and curious looking religious edifices, nearly overwhelmed with 

 sand, to excite and reward attention. 



The climate of Jagannalh, is the most agreeable and salubrious probably 

 in all India, during the hot months from March to July. At this season the 

 south-west monsoon blows from the sea in a steady and refreshing breeze, 

 which seldom fails until the approach of the rains, and every door and 

 window is thrown open to court its entrance. A visit to Jagannath has in 

 some cases proved as beneficial to the European constitution, as a sea voyage. 



The Manufactures and Trade of Orissa Proper are very inconsiderable Manufao- 



i • . » />-. • ,. . , tures, &C« 



ana unimportant. A sufficiency of the coarser cloths is made for the use of 



the inhabitants, in all parts of the district. The Calicoes of Balasore, Sore, 



Y 



