183;.] 



for widening the Pamhan Passage. 



113 



The greater part of these men had been here since the 18th of Janu- 

 ary, and had been fully employed in the erection of work-shop, store* 

 houses, barracks, an hospital, and huts. The buildings were well adapt- 

 ed for the purpose ; the men were allowed to lodge themselves, which 

 was preferable to the plan proposed of providing a barrack, which I had 

 intended, thinking, as this was only a temporary duty, the men might 

 not bring their families. 



The building originally intended for the sepoys will become, when 

 finished, available for the lodgment of the convicts. It is advancing 

 very slowly ; as we are obliged to bring clay from a distance of two 

 miles, a sufficient party cannot be spared for the purpose. It is not of 

 much importance, the convicts being lodged in a choultry, which is 

 more secure. 



Ordered part of a stone-roofed passage in the old fort to be repaired, 

 as a magazine for the gun-powder. Only one sick in the detachment 

 of 90 men. 



7th. Examined the country for three miles round to ascertain what 

 materials were procurable : found abundance of dwarf jungle, but 

 the trees, almost entirely Mimosa, with branches shooting out at 

 right angles to the stem, which is generally twisted, very difficult to 

 work, and too heavy to form rafts. Lime and free stones plentiful, 

 and near the sea-shore a few palmyras and tamarind trees, with abun- 

 dance of coco-anut, the only other timber on the island.* Purchased 

 some mango and teak planks from a merchant, and selected eight 

 canoes, to form rafts for the work in the great channel. 



8th. Inspected the small channel, and ordered a party to remove 

 some large stones, and another to bore the rock at its northern extremi- 

 ty, which nearly blocks up the passage. Proceeded to the great chan- 

 nel, and ordered it to be correctly marked off by small floats with flags, 

 at intervals of about 30 yards. Before leaving off work, fired two small 

 charges of powder in the two holes tha^ had been finished ; one split 

 the rock into small pieces, the other found vent through the bottom, and 

 did little execution. 



9th. The buoys were this morning laid down on one side, and 

 anchored with large stones. Purchased two catamarans from a vessel 

 to complete the floats ; no light wood being procurable in the neigh- 

 bourhood. The working party succeeded this day in boring 10 holes 

 in the rocks at the head of the small channel, which were immediately 

 loaded and fired. Charge 8 and 10 oz. of powder, contained in bottles 

 9 succeeded perfectly, and shattered the rock into small fragments 

 which were easily removed by the hand. The remainder of the men 

 employed in deepening the lower part of the channel. This is the most 



* Except Ethee planted near pagodas, and along the great roads to Ramisserani. 



