CHINRAYPATAM. 
447 
to whom it will certainly be a very great convenience in the 
rains, when a communication with the northern bank was almost 
impossible. To the southward there was an old bridge on a 
similar construction, a part of which answered as an aqueduct. 
Hyder Hyssein Khan, the eldest of Tippoo's nephews, attended 
to take his leave. I enquired after his brother : he replied, he was 
unwell at home, or would have waited on me but; the probability 
was, that he had no horse. At eight I took leave of all my friends, 
and accompanied by Mr. Salt set off for Mangalore. 
The road was extremely rough, and before I reached Chirco- 
nally, which was my first stage of five miles, the bearers had fallen 
several times, though they took three hours to perform it. Their 
successors were more careful, or the road was better, for I slept 
soundly the rest of the night. 
March 5. — reached Keekary by seven in the morning, distant, 
according to an account sent me by Purneah, fifteen miles from 
Chirconally. The town is small, and has a mud fort, which I did 
not enter. In an open space near, was a small pagoda, under the 
shade of which I received the usual presents from the chief man 
of the town, and took my breakfast. At eight we set off, passing 
one very large tank. The country was finely undulated, but cul- 
tivation had taken place only in the valleys, where numerous 
tanks secured a constant supply of water. The Elate sylvestris, 
and Phoenixa fannifer of Roxburgh, were in great abundance. At 
a distance many hills were to be seen. I reached Chinraypatam, a 
stage of fifteen, miles, by two o'clock. At a small distance from it I 
was met by the Aumil and Killadar, with the usual presents, fruit, 
and sugar cane, and a profusion of cocoa-nuts, which I saw growing 
