jan. — mar. 1858.] the Travancore Backwater. 209 



five Cocoa trees. The remains of the Fort are close to the water 

 edge, now filled with rubbish and jungle. 



At Anjengo was for many years an English factory. It rose into 

 importance upon the decline of Quilon, and was one of the last re- 

 tained by us on this Coast. The Portuguese were the earliest pos- 

 sessors of the spot and the ruins of their Church still exist.*'' In its 

 palmiest days Anjengo must have been a lively place. " The for- 

 tress," says Forbes, "contained store houses, accommodation for the 

 garrison and apartments for the chief who was a member of coun- 

 cil at Bombay. The civilians and military officers resided in to- 

 lerable houses &c." At the present day a few scattered houses 

 tenanted by East Indians and Natives are all that remain of this 

 once gay and merry station. The place still belongs to the East 

 India Company, and is now chiefly famous for the manufacture in 

 painted wood of the different castes of the inhabitants of the coun- 

 try. These are creditably executed, a male and female of each 

 sect, about 3 or 4 inches in height, draped and ornamented, and 

 on the whole faithful representations. A complete set costs about 

 40 or 45 Rupees. Great quantities of Lemon grass oil are manu- 

 factured at this place. The oil is distilled from the leaves of the 

 Andropogoncitratum, common in the country. As a remedy for rheu- 

 matism this oil is much valued. An East Indian located here is a 

 fair Taxidermist, and keeps a collection of stuffed birds and animals 

 for sale. Of the latter may be chiefly procured the wild Cat, {Felis 

 Chaus,) Civet, ( Viverra Zibetha,) Mongoose {Ichneumon mangos,) 

 Flying squirrel, (Sciuroplera oral,) Malabar squirrel (Sciurus maxi- 

 mus) &c, and among the rest that curious fish the Sea horse (Hip- 

 pocampus,) which is caught in great numbers on the Coast. 



One or two celebrated characters have claimed Anjengo as their 

 birth place. Robert Orme, the Historian of Hindostan, first saw 

 light in this remote spot. He was educated at Harrow School, 

 became a member of Council at Madras, and died in England at the 

 advanced age of 73 years. It was at Anjengo that was born Mrs. 

 Elizabeth Draper, an East Indian, the wife of one of the Councillors 

 of Surat, and the lady to whom Sterne addressed the well known 

 " letters to Eliza." I have heard of people stopping at Anjengo to 



* Forbes' Oriental Memoirs. 



