884 Account of the Province of Ramnad. [April 



Vigay, a river which rises among the mountains on the south-east 

 of the Dindigal valley. This river runs through the north-east ridge 

 of a chain oi mountains that border on the west of the province of 

 Madura. It finally escapes from the mountainous tract which it 

 traverses for about thirty miles, precipitates itself at the foot of the 

 hill of Guntapanaikaniir, passes by Pilmankunbi, Nuddavakotta, and 

 Cholavandan, and, being augmented by the waters of other small rivu- 

 lets, it passes by Thovaraman and Madura ; and thence rolling in a con- 

 siderable body, and traversing these districts in a course nearly south- 

 east, reaches Tripavanam, where it becomes very broad, continues in a 

 winding course, and, being fed by other streams, passes by Manamadura ; 

 then turning south a few miles it proceeds east, and enters this province 

 on the west by the village of Tholachataniir. Here for about eight 

 miles it forms a part of the general boundary between this province and 

 Sivaganga, in a course nearly due east. This fine river comes with a 

 full swelling stream between Pirmaguda and Yaveneswara, towards 

 Warapuli (where the boundary embraces a small village that stands on 

 the south bank appertaining to Sivaganga) ; and gliding on south-east 

 three miles, turns east for four miles, when the stream, flowing directly 

 south for three and a half miles, is cc *siderably diminished in its width, 

 and now makes but a poor appearance in consequence of the numerous 

 cuts from it for the purpose of irrigation, and to supply the lakes. The 

 Vigay, now confined in a narrow bed, continues eastward in a winding 

 course for eight miles, and then spreads into a large lake called Periya- 

 kolam. A small channel on the north continues easterly^ it was re- 

 cently cut to prevent the injurous consequences of inundations, which 

 are represented to have frequently happened previous to this under- 

 taking. The Vigay, retaining its name, proceeds eastward for six miles, 

 losing itself in a salt-marsh which extends nearly five miles in length, 

 and about a mile and a half in breadth, where, from the saline nature of 

 the soil, a considerable quantity of salt is extracted. At the east end 

 of the marsh the river again reappears, and proceeds in a south easterly 

 direction about five miles ; thence it forms a serpentine course, and 

 communicates with the sea below the village Autankarai. The whole 

 of its winding course is about one hundred and forty miles. The Vigay 

 is the largest of all the rivers in the province, and is represented as pos- 

 sessing the rare advantage of affording water the whole of the year. It 

 generally overflows from about October to December, after which it be- 

 gins to decrease : the fertility of the provinces of Madura, Sivaganga, 

 and Ramnad, depends upon the overflowing of the Vigay, from which 

 numerous canals and water courses are led off to supply the several 

 lakes, and for the purposes of irrigation. It is. very precarious when 

 ihe freshes descend in the month of April; the supply is then most 



