1837.] 



Account of the Province of R&mn&d, 



373 



and Sudras, and a few native Christians ; many of the two former 

 carry on a considerable trade in grain and other articles of import 

 from Travancore, Ceylon, &c. There are no artisans here, excepting 

 gold and silversmiths, braziers, and ironsmiths ; the latter, about two 

 hundred families, who are Musalmans, reside in the town. The east 

 part of the town is inhabited by manufacturers of chintzes and printed 

 cloths. 



Letchmapuram is seated east of the large reservoir of that name. 

 It has a handsome Hindu temple, built about thirty-six years ago ; 

 and on the north-east of the reservoir stands a spacious and elegant 

 chattiram,* or caravansery. 



Kamuri, a fort lying thirty-one miles west of Ramnad, and thirty 

 miles south by west of Sivaganga, is seated on an elevated rocky ground 

 on the north bank of the Kundar river, and commands a most delight- 

 ful and extensive prospect. It is small, but of some strength, built of 

 stone, of a circular form, with a double enclosure of walls, having an 

 interval between them of about sixty feet ; the outer wall is twenty 

 feet high, and about four feet thick, without a rampart or parapet, but 

 has nine bastions : the inner wall is stronger, twenty-five feet high, 

 with a rampart, and seven bastions. On an eminence, to the south- 

 west, is a redoubt. In the inner fort, a granary and magazine still 

 remain ; between the two walls, on the western side, is a well of very 

 clear water cut through rocky strata, having steps on the one side 

 descending to the bottom. This work appears to have been performed 

 with great s^ill, though, no doubt, not without much difficulty, owing to 

 the solidity of the rock. 



About one thousand yards from the fort, on the southern bank of 

 the river, the town of Kamuri is seated. A small Hindu temple stands 

 on the north side, and a pretty wide street surrounds it. There are many 

 more streets, but most of them narrow and\rooked, with low thatched 

 houses built of earth; a few, however, are covered with tiles. Almost 

 in the centre stands a grand terraced house, belonging to a native, the 

 elegance and situation of which afford an agreeable prospect. In the 

 dry season the dust and heat are almost intolerable ; and in the rainy 

 season, owing to the black soil, the mire is so deep as to render the 

 streets almost impassable. Some of the inhabitants here are very 



* These chattirams much resemble the ancient hostelries of Europe. They are charita- 

 ble foundations for the lodging and entertainment of a certain number of guests for a spe- 

 cified time ; one day, three days, and sometimes longer. Some are founded merely for 

 the relief of Brahmans ; others, for all classes of the natives ; and some, for the accom- 

 modation and entertainment of Europeans. The late Raja" of Tanjore had one at which, 

 for the space of three days, any European gentleman passing that way was most sumptu- 

 ously entertained. Similar ones were also to be met with in other parts of the Carnatic 

 but a very few years ago.— Ep, /o«r. B. A, S, 



