654 
A Defcripion of the Coaflf of 
The King' 
iom of 
Cdm.ttici. 
rsj-\^ great fcarcity in the barren Grounds 
S.ildaus. round that City. A fmall Brook runs 
Kyy^ alfo by the Fort, where we ufed often to 
divert our felves in Boats. 
The Canal leading to Paliacatta is al- 
ir.ofl dry during the South Mouffon^ but 
overflows the Country for two Leagues 
round in the Northern Mouffon. The 
Grounds about Paliacatta are very nitrous, 
fandy, and unfit to produce any thing in 
great quantity •, which is the reafon that 
they muft be fupply'd with moft: forts of 
Provifions (except Fi(h, whereof they 
have plenty) from other places. "Jhs 
Fortifications being built upon Fenny 
Grounds, which reach for four or five 
Leagues round, have been often in dan- 
ger of being fwallow'd up by the Wa- 
ters in the rainy feafon, and were there- 
fore not maintained without vaft Charges. 
Under the Cannon of the Fort of Gel- 
dna lie two Villages, one to the South 
caird Biramamy^ built upon a fmall Ifle, 
the other on the North-fide within reach 
of a Mufquet, calPd Coupon^ and inha- 
bited by Chriftian Filliermen, being con- 
verted to the Chriltian Faith in the time 
of the FortLiguefts. 
We will now proceed to the King- 
dom of Carnatka^ extending 60 Badaga- 
rian Leagues (one whereof is equivalent to 
three Dutch Miles) from South to North, 
and 40 from Paliacatta to the Coaft of 
- Malabar. In this Country it was that the 
three Naih, or chief Lords of the Crown 
of rdour^ keep their Refidence, who pay 
The th'^e ^ certain yearly Tribute to that Crown, 
Njiks. 'Viz.. the ritipanaik of Madure^ the King's 
Bafon- Bearer, 200 Pagodes (each of which 
is worth fix Holland Guilders) per an- 
num i the Chrifiapanaik of Chengier the 
King's Bad Box-bearer, as many ^ and 
the Naik of "tanjouwer his Umbrello- 
beaier (who is Lord of Negapatan} 
400 per annum, Thefe Dignities being 
hereditary time out of mind, the Coun- 
tries of Madure^ Chengier and Tanjouwer 
have bsen annexed to them, under con- 
dition of a yearly Tribute, and are be- 
fides this oblig'd to give their perfonal 
Attendance at the Coronation of the law- 
ful Succellbr of the before-mentioned 
Kingdom. 
Further to the North (about a days 
Pcnnj, Voyage) from Paliacatta^ liQPema and 
Cjfcnaa. Cakture^ betwixt which places is found 
the beR: Elfaye Roots, which are alfo to 
be found ill the Illes near Jafnapatan: It 
is a finall Root no bigger than a little 
fprtg of about a fpan in length, ufed by 
the Dyers. The way to try its goodnefs, 
is Eo break it to pieces^ and to fee whether 
it be very red within, or elfe to chaw a 
piece of it, and if you perceive a nitrous 
tafte in it, it is very good. To try the 
true Dye thereof upon Callico's, you may 
fqueeze fome Lemmon Juice upon it, and 
let it dry in the Sun \ if it be not true it 
will change pale. There is alfo a five 
corner'd Fruit call'd Carunholle^ the Juice 
whereof being fharper than that of Lem- 
rmns^ is likewife made ufe of in trying 
the true L^ye of the EJfaye Colour. For 
this Nation being very cunning in their 
way of dealing, oftentimes make ufe 
of a Dye call'd Sordaco inftead of the 
Ejfaye^ and of the Bark of a certain 
Tree growing in Orixa^ but may eafily 
be diftinguilh'd by the colour, being fome- 
what darker than the true Ejjaye^ and 
if rub'd with Water, will tinge it. They 
have a nice way of refining and trying 
the Gold here, and the Dutch Company 
coin abundance of Golden Pagodes here, 
with the King's Stamp upon them, A- 
bundance of Nc/y, Rice, Gingely-kQds^ 
Oil, Butter, coarfe Cloths, Iron, Fioney 
and yellow Wax, is brought hither from 
Orixa and Mafulipatan^ the whole Voyage 
thither and back again being commonly 
perform'd to four Months. From hence 
to ^rracan^ Pegu and Tanajfery you pay 
8 or \o per Cent, for Freight of Pepper, 
Sandalwood, Stuffs, Steel and Iron, and 
make your returns in Gold, Rubies of 
Ava, Gummi-Lacca^ long white Pepper^ 
Lead, <b'c. Betwixt Tanajfery and Occe- 
da towards Malacca are the Harbours of 
Tanangar^ Sencaz.a^ and Perach^ oppofite 
to j4chem^ whither they trade with vaft 
Profit, and bring back abundance of Tin, 
a Commodity much in requeft with the 
MoorSj wherewith they tin their Cop- 
per Vefiels. 
Petapouli is fituate at 16 deg, of North- pecapoiii. 
Latitude: As you fail Eafi: and Eaft to 
the North towards this Road, you fee an 
Ifie at a League and a half diftance made 
by the North Branch of the River co- 
ver'd with Coco-Trees, an infallible 
Guide to the Road, where at a League's 
diftance from the Shoar, there is good 
Anchorage at 6 fathoms Water in a San- 
dy Bottom. This is the fecureft Harbour 
on all this Coaft, during the North 
Mouffon^ by reafon of a Point of Land 
jetting out for three Leagues in the Sea 
to the North of the Ifle, and enclofing 
as it were the Road by a Demi-Circle, 
whereas in the South Moujfon the Sea is 
very boifl;erous, and the vC'aves very tur- 
bulent here. The Bar of Petapouli has 
fome Shallows fcarce paflable but by fmall 
Veffels. The City lies a League within 
the 
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