244 



ORIENTAL COMMERCE. [Madra* to Bengal. 



divisions, is also subdivided into two districts ; of which one, deriving its 

 name from that province, is dependent on Yizagapatam ; the other, called 

 Ichapoor, is placed under Ganjam. The former lies between the rivers of 

 Settiaveram on the S., and of Poondy on the N. From the cross hills 

 approaching the sea near these extremities, it forms a kind of semicircular 

 territory ; of which the diameter along the coast extends 180 miles, and its 

 greatest dimensions in land about one-third of the same distance. The latter 

 subdivision of this province is of a triangular figure, stretching its longest 

 side about SO miles on the shore from Poondy to Maloud, the S. frontier 

 of Cuttack. 



The Circars, being well watered by the numerous rivers, abound in 

 grain, and may be considered the granary of the Carnatic during the N. 

 monsoon, in like manner as Tanjore is reckoned during the S. W, monsoon. 

 They produce also bay-salt, tobacco, (the latter from the vicinity of Ma- 

 sulipatam, known every where for superior excellence), and abundance of 

 teak timber of the best sort, and largest sizes. The coco and palmyra 

 form the principal materials for building the unwieldy vessels for the coast- 

 ing trade, called donies, of various burthens, from fiO to 100 tons each. The 

 diamond mines of Guntoor and CondapiUy in this province are not consi- 

 dered of any great importance. 



Tkaue. — In regard to manufactures, the staple produce of the country 

 worked from cotton, is of two different sorts and fineness; plain long-cloth, 

 so valuable at foreign markets, is chiefly wrought in the island of Nagur 

 and its vicinity. It forms the groundwork of the best printed calicoes in 

 Europe, and of tlunc inimitably painted ones, called palempores, in the 

 districts of Masulipatam. The coarser plain cloths made to the N. and S. 

 of the Godavery, or coloured with the Chaya root, which grows in most 

 perfection in the sands overflowed annually by the Kistna, are equal lv 

 articles in demand abroad, or for interior consumption ; but the muslins of 

 Chicaeole, the beautiful woollen carpets of Ellore, and silks of Ichapoor, 

 wrought from the raw materials imported from Bengal and China, are 

 rather objects of curiosity, and meriting encouragement, than considerable 

 in quantity or benefit. 



These several objects of natural or artificial produce, when united, 

 form the grand resources of the commerce, which may be classed under 

 three different heads, viz. 



I. The trade to Europe. — This is confined entirely to the finer cotton 

 manufactures exported by European nations who have establishments on 

 this coast, or purchased by other foreign adventurers. 



II. The trade to the neighbouring Indian ports, or coasting trade, 



