1847.], 



Laccadive IslQnd$. 



25 



produce of nuts to look to, and exchange for rice, tlie laborious manu- 

 facture of coir is somewhat neglected, and a vast number of husks are 

 wasted. The average number of bearing trees in this island during 

 the last 7 years was upwards of 13,000, the produce of which, taken 

 at an average of 80 nuts per tree per annum (a low average) should 

 yield, at the rate of 5,600 nuts to a Mangalore candy of 560 lbs., fully 

 195 candies — the average yearly import from this island of coir, for 

 the same time has been 146 candies, to which add 5 per cent, for home 

 consumption and the quantity produced would appear not to exceed 

 155 candies, or 45 candies below what it should be. When examin- 

 ed the Islanders averaged the daily consumption of nuts at 5 per man 

 (for in this island there is no coarse grain.) The average population 

 during the last 7 years was 585, for the support of which 10 lacks and 

 a half of nuts would be requisite. The exports of nuts may be taken 

 at 2 lacks per annum, and the calculation will give within half a lack 

 of nuts of the result of that on the produce of the trees and show that 

 about 20 per cent, of the coir grown remains unmanufactured. This 

 might be urged as an argument against a system, in which the Go- 

 vernment interests are left so unprotected. The coir which is im- 

 ported from this island is of the finest description. 



Little unoccupied land now remains on this island and such as did 

 so, is the least promising there — some years ago one spot was marked 

 off by the Monegar, and plantation within it already swells the 

 amount of hossagarny cultivation ; had the plan been more vigor- 

 ously carried out, a good deal would doubtlessly have been under 

 Government management which the Islanders now enjoy as their 

 own. What now remains has been in part carefully marked off, but 

 against the will of the Islanders. 



Island of Chet- Chetlat the most northerly of the group lies about 

 15 miles distant from Kiltan and 25 to 30 from 

 Ameendevy. The shoal on which this island stands is extensive, 

 the lagoon is large and very perfect and the shores well protected. 



The island is from 2 to 2| miles in length and about f of a mile 

 broad. The surface is not so even in the other islands, and a ridge 

 of low sand drift running up the middle prevents or at least retards 

 the plantation in this island. Though not in nearly so backward a 

 state as Kadamat, it is naturally the least promising of the islands. 

 The soil is very poor, the trees very slow of growth and not pro- 

 ductive. Low mounds of sand occupy a great part of the centre, 

 and best protected parts of the island, on which nothing grows, 



D 



