382 



Account of the Province of Rdmn&d. 



[April 



also for a layer of white stone, of a brittle nature, which extends from 

 the south of it in a north-westerly direction, as far as Palavanattam. 

 The stones are collected, and burned in kilns for the preparation of 

 chunam or lime, which is esteemed the finest sort that can be had in 

 the province. The ruins of a double-walled mud-fort stand on the west 

 of the village. 



RIVERS. 



There are many streams in this province that empty themselves into 

 the sea, but none are navigable, and few deserve the name of rivers. 

 They are for the greatest part nothing more than broad brooks or 

 rivulets ; some are only drains flowing from the lakes, others spring 

 from the high lands, and both are every where fordable. Running up- 

 on a flat and almost level surface, they become broad without having a 

 bed of any depth. These rivulets, in their course, supply several lakes, 

 and the water is reserved for the purpose of cultivation, which, in good 

 years, yields a valuable produce. 



Pamban-ar, a rivulet which rises from the high lands east of Kuna- 

 gudi, in the Sivaganga, enters this province on the west, near the upper 

 frontier, below the village of PerarrVir, takes its course easterly about 

 five furlongs, crosses the general boundary, and re-enters Sivaganga ; 

 where, for more than three miles, it continues its course, when, touching 

 the boundary south-east of Tirtengur, and winding along it for about 

 three-fourths of a mile, it re-enters this province. About one mile in 

 its tract it is intersected by a channel which supplies the Mutunad lake. 

 Pursuing its course for a few furlongs in an easterly direction, it sepa- 

 rates into two branches, w T hich, after running nearly parallel with each, 

 other to the distance of three miles, unite near the junction of another 

 channel, termed the Pamb-ar. Widening gradually in its course, the 

 stream receives another branch below Elapagudi, which flows from the 

 southern kalingula of the Mutunad lake, and proceeds south-east about 

 three miles ; touches at the boundary between the villages Payaddakot- 

 ta and Mudukuvial ; constitutes a small part of the northern boundary 

 between this province and Tanjore, and continues its course for three 

 miles, where it intersects a detached piece of land appertaining to 

 Sivaganga ; whence, meandering along the general boundary in an 

 east-north-east direction, it separates into five branches, and disem- 

 bogues into the sea by three mouths. 



Virashelai-ar, a narrow and rapid stream, has its source in the high 

 lands in the vicinity of Pramalli, in the Sivaganga country ; and, being 

 fed by numerous jungle streams, passes by Naikupai, supplies the large 

 lake at Tripatu, and, after an easterly course, crosses the high road that 

 leads from Pudukotta to Sivaganga ; thence, continuing easterly about 

 a mile, it glides south, and crosses the road from Kunagudi to Tripatu, 



