Coast of Malabar.] ORIENTAL COMMERCE. 



2 oz. ; and the candy 482 £ lbs. The Calicut miscal weighs 2 dwts. 21 

 grains troy. 



Measures. — The covid is 18 inches, and the guz, 28£ inches, long 

 measure. Timber is sometimes measured by the covid (18 inches) and 

 borell: 12 borells make 1 covid, when the timber is sawed, and 24 when 

 unsawed. 



See also Tellicherry. 



BEYPOUR is in latitude 11" 10 N., and longitude 75° 51 E., about 

 two leagues to the S. of Calicut. It is a small town, and has hardly any 

 trade. The situation is beautiful, on the N. side of a river, a short 

 distance from the sea. Within, the river has deep water, but like all those 

 on the coast, has a bar at its mouth : at favourable seasons vessels drawing 

 1 4 feet may be floated over the bar by means of casks. 



TIMBER OBTAINABLE AT BEYPOUR, 



Teak, {Sagun, Hind.) Tectuna grmulis. — This tree is a native of the 

 forests in many parts of the East ; it grows to an immense size, sometimes 

 50 feet long, and 20 inches in diameter. For ship-building the teak is rec- 

 koned superior to any other sort of wood, in or out of water, and has by 

 long experience been found to be the most useful timber in Asia. It is 

 easily worked, and at the same time strong and durable. That produced on 

 the Coast of Malabar is the most esteemed ; next, that on the Coromandel 

 Coast, near the banks of the Godavery ; then that of Pegu. The largest 

 quantities are produced in the latter place. The rivers enable the natives to 

 bring it from the interior of the country at a very cheap rate ; the prices 

 are therefore lower than in any other part of India. 



■ In the year 1799, 10,000 teak trees were brought down Beypour 

 River. This was the produce of several years ; but it is estimated that from 

 2 to 3000 trees may be annually procured. Bombay is generally supplied 

 with teak plank from this part of the coast ; the Company usually contract 

 for what they require, and the Resident at Cochin frequently has the 

 contract. 



In purchasing plank, it is better to agree for it in guz and borels, iu 

 preference to feet and inches, from the great difficulty of converting English 

 measure into candies, on account of the fractious, which occasion much dis- 

 pute between the measurers. If the dimensions are agreed upon in guz and 

 borels, the above timber will stand thus : 



1st sort 17 to 19 guz long, and 12 to 14 borels square. 



2d ditto 14- to 17 ditto 10 to 12 ditto. 



3d ditto 9 to 11 ditto 10 to 12 ditto. 



