38 
SCENES IN INDIA. 
pical countries,, is here so prodigal of growth,, that it 
overspreads the very roads, which indeed is almost 
invariably the case where there is a lack of more in- 
teresting vegetation. 
We reached Gingee about two hours before noon. 
The fort stands upon a lofty and precipitous rock, and 
is considered impregnable. Gingee has always been 
regarded as the strongest town in the Carnatic. The 
hill upon which the principal fort — for there are 
seven — stands, is extremely unhealthy, and the mor- 
tality among the French during the ten years that 
Gingee was in their possession, is said to have been 
prodigious. The fortified works are admirably con- 
structed, and eminently imposing. The seven gates 
of Raje Ghur, the principal hill-fort, had been de- 
stroyed by Tippoo’s order, as well as a bridge which 
connected two of the hills. At the foot of the moun- 
tain there is a beautiful mosque, built by the Maho- 
medans on the site of an ancient Hindoo temple, which 
was a very common practice with them. They spared 
no pains to mortify the pride of their vanquished 
enemies. 
Tigers are very numerous in this neighbourhood, 
and some of the natives are remarkably expert in 
destroying them. During our stay here, for we made 
a halt of two days, a bullock was killed and taken 
off by one of these feline plunderers. The print of its 
foot was to be traced as far as the next village, about 
six or seven miles from Gingee, where we lost sight 
of it. Before we left this town, we had a singular 
evidence of the skill of the natives in destroying the 
tiger, with which this part of the country is infested. 
