344 
PAN BAN. 
prepared for me a musnud of white cloth. The steps leading to it, 
and the whole floor, and ceiling, were covered with the same. 
Plantain trees surrounded the pillars, and added greatly to the effect. 
The room was well lighted up, and the crowds of people, whose 
heads were only on a level with the floor, were kept off by servants 
with flambeaus. A nautch immediately began, and continued 
whilst the presents of fruit were laid at my feet, and distributed by 
me to my followers. I staid as short a time as possible, and then, 
with the same attendance, went on to the ferry, distant about a mile. 
Here the Aumildar had erected a small temporary house in case 
he boats should not be ready, and had also formed a pier by which 
I could get close to them. There were ten in waiting, all belong- 
ing to the Rannie of Ramnad. I enquired why he had ordered 
so many: he said he conceived a man of my rank must have a 
great many followers, and a great deal of baggage. I told him, 
that, had that been the case, I should have found it impracticable 
to travel through Ceylon, and that 1 had nothing with me but what 
was absolutely necessary. My boat was, like the rooms, covered 
with white cloth, with a canopy of the same, supported by pillars 
of plantain. 
The strait here is about a mile wide. This, and the one at Manaar, 
are the only passages for communication between the Coromandel and 
Malabar coasts, without going round Ceylon. Unfortunately, neither 
is passable except for small vessels : the bed of this strait is rocky : 
the entrance from the north is only one hundred feet wide, between 
two rocks ; and as another directly faces it, great caution is required 
to pass safely between them. The current is extremely rapid. We 
w^eie guided to the landing place by lights on the shore. I found 
