378 
pondicherry; 
inhabitants to the greatest distress, and nothing but the humanity of 
the British has prevented many of them from starving, by giving 
smali allowances to the respectable families, without any party dis- 
tinction. The houses have been mortgaged and re-mortgaged, but 
they continue in the hands of the original owners, as there is no 
qourt of justice by which they can be transferred to the mortgagee* 
No repairs are however done, and consequently a continuation for a 
few years, of the present w^ar, w ill render the destruction of them 
complete. Pondicherry has no natural advantages as a commercial 
town, and has only been kept up by being the capital of the French 
in India. If restored to them at a peace, it might again rise into con- 
sequence, as it is evident they still intended to make it the seat of 
Government. I am informed they meant to leave it an open town, 
and to fortify Cocoa-nut Island, situated at a small distance in the 
river of Ariancopang, and from which, in the year 1760, the town 
was battered by the English. If this had been done, part of the old 
towai must have been removed to form a proper esplanade. 
The manners of a setdement, cut off h^om the parent country, 
can never be very polished ; but poverty has been added at Pomli- 
cherry to prevent the proper education from being given to the 
rising generation. The young men are more ignorant than could 
be expected ; and the accomplishments of the females are limited 
to dancing well, and playing a few tunes on the piano-forte. The 
mind is left nearly a blank : yet there is a vivacity of manner that 
is pleasing, and makes a person frequently overlook the insipidity 
of the pretty things that are uttered. One merit the French have 
here, as in Europe ; the wonderful patience with which they bear 
adversity. No one in the ball-room would suppose that the larger 
