118 



ORIENTAL COMMERCE. [Coast from Cowboy. 



the river, is in longitude 21° 4^' N-, and latitude 72 v 51 f E. The an- 

 choring ground for large ships in Surat roads is In 7 or 8 fathoms, Vaux's 

 Tomb bearing N. * E., and the entrance of False River E. S. E. The 

 tides run here at the rate of five miles an hour, but near the bar they do 

 not run with such rapidity. 



The navigation up the river to Surat is very difficult, in consequence 

 of the sands frequently shilling, by which new channels are formed, and the 

 old ones shut up. Near two-thirds of the distance from the bar to Surat, 

 is a continued chain of banks, having but narrow channels between them. 



On the right hand side of the river, about four miles within the bar, is 

 a creek, which leads to a small village called Domus, where there is a guard- 

 house, situated on a rising ground, with a Serjeant's guard, who send to 

 the chief at Surat an account of the arrival and departure from the roads of 

 all ships of every nation, of which a register is made. From Domus to 

 Surat is about fifteen miles by water; by land about ten. The city stands 

 close on the banks of the river, and extends a considerable distance along 

 shore. On one of the bastions of the castle is hoisted the British flag, and 

 on its opposite, the Moguls. There is a wall and ditch enclosing the city, 

 and another surrounding the suburbs ; the distance round the outer wall is 

 near twelve miles ; the intermediate space between the two walls is a mile 

 wide, and as populous in proportion to its extent, as the city. In the 

 outer wall are 13 gates, including three on the banks of the river ; in the 

 inner are four gales, two of which lead to the castle, the keys of which 

 arc carried to the chief every night at sunset, when they are locked: they 

 are opened at daybreak in the morning. To the S. of the castle is a large 

 open plain, called the Castle Green, where are large tents fixed, surrounded 

 by palings of bamboos, where goods are kept ready for shipping off. 



Surat has few fine buildings; some of the houses of the principal mer- 

 chants are large and well built, but the generality are of bamboos and mud. 

 There are some handsome mosques, likewise the custom-house and mint, 

 and some fine tanks, or reservoirs for water. The streets are narrow, irre- 

 gular, and unpaved, extremely dirty and offensive, particularly in the wet 

 season. Sural is very populous; the inhabitants are estimated at 400,000, 

 amongst whom are a great number of rich merchants, Persees, Moors, and 

 Armenians, who carry on a large trade with Persia, Arabia, and various 

 parts of India. 



TaAi>E.—~ The commerce of Surat is far less considerable than it was 

 formerly. When the Portuguese, Dutch, and French had factories here, 

 their trade with Europe, China, the East Coast of Africa, and the Malay 

 Islands, was extensive. The decay of the trade at Surat, since the Com- 



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