1834.] The Island and Bridge of Sivasamudram> 90 



The restoration of the island to its former sacred and charitable 

 purposes, had long been the subject of my anxious thoughts ; and 

 accorrlingly, in the year 1818, I made proposals to Government, the 

 conditions of which were, that the island of Sivasamudram beings 

 given over to me and my heirs in perpetuity, together with a tract 

 of jungle land, purposed to be occupied by inferior castes, I under- 

 took to clear the island of the jungle, to erect a wooden bridge on the 

 eastern branch of the C&veri from the Coimbatoor side to the island, 

 to build a bungalow for travellers, and to restore some of the reli- 

 gious edifices. 



My proposals were accepted ; and in the year 1819 I made pre- 

 parations for these arduous undertakings. From further inquiries, 

 and after due consideration, I was of opinion that a wooden bridge 

 would neither be lasting nor safe ; and I accordingly determined, 

 without applying for any additional remuneration, to construct an 

 edifice of permanent materials. The site of an old bridge was point- 

 ed out, and I resolved to erect the new one at this spot, and on the 

 same principles of construction as the former appeared to have 

 been. 



The edifice was accordingly undertaken, and completed in the 

 year 1821, according to a plan, a copy of which accompanies this 

 memoir.* 



The clearing of the island, and other works which I had under- 

 taken to execute, proceeded at the same time with the construction 

 of the bridge ; and the difficulties which I had to encounter were 

 greater and more numerous than I am able to detail. The climate 

 of the island and surrounding country presented an obstacle hardly 

 to be overcome ; very many of the work-people, all of whom were 

 brought from a distance, died from fever and dysentery ; others 

 were obliged, after having been attacked by sickness, to seek reco« 

 very elsewhere ; and not a few deserted the works from the fear of 

 the diseases, which they saw making such sad havoc among every 

 description of workmen. 



To all of them I had been under the necessity of making advan- 

 ces of money ; and my losses from their deaths, sickness and deser- 

 tion, were very great. The rates at which all my people were paid 

 were necessarily high ; and being also obliged to provide them with 

 food, and comforts of all kinds, my disbursements were far beyond 



* This will account for the waat of perspective ia the plates. See Plate 1. 



