338 RAMISERAM. 
January ^5.— At half after five we set sail with a very brisk 
monsoon from the north and by east, accompanied by a heavy 
swell. My new boat sailed well, and kept ahead of the others, it 
was however too rough to be pleasant, as we were constantly gun- 
wale to. Before seven we were out of sight of land. We lay our 
course, and by nine the hills of Ramiseram, with the lofty towers 
of a pagoda, appeared right a-head. As we approached, the latter 
made a very magnificent appearance. At eleven I landed. The 
chief of the pagoda or Pandaram was waiting on the beach, sur- 
rounded by his Brahmins, nautch-girls, elephants, state palanquins, 
banners, tom-toms, kc. All the native officers of the island under 
the India Company were also waiting, and pressed around to pre- 
sent their nazurs of limes, and make their salaams. I received the 
fruit as I moved on, and, on enquiry, found one officer that spoke 
English. I afterwards was much indebted to his attention, he hav- 
ing been dispatched to receive me ; his name was Apoo Pilly, and 
he was supreme over the whole island, as Aumildar ofPanban, 
the capital. He brought me a very polite letter from Colonel Marting, 
commanding at Ramnad, inviting me to his house ; and also one 
from Mr. Latham, the Judge, informing me that he had sent me 
a Naig* and ten delogets* of the court to attend me. 
Directly opposite to the landing-place a choultry had been 
cleaned and prepared for me. In the front of it a space was inclosed 
with white cloth. An awning of the same was spread over, and 
the pillars that supported it had plantain trees stuck up against 
them, with the fruit and flowers. These, with their noble leaves, 
bad a very handsome effect. In the centre a scarlet canopy was 
^ An inferior native officer and privates/ that act only for civil purposes? 
