PUBLIC BUILDINGS OF MADRAS. 
5 
which we are glad to put up with for the sake of 
those positive conveniences hy which they are ba- 
lanced — evils to which in India all new-comers are 
especially exposed. The day after our arrival, a 
fellow-passenger (a civilian in the Company’s service) 
and myself took a very convenient house within the 
foi% where we determined to remain until the setting- 
in of the monsoon ; and after we had made these pre- 
liminary arrangements we set out to explore the 
town. By Indian engineers the fort is said to be 
impregnable ; when I say Indian engineers; I mean 
those officers in that department of the military ser- 
vice who have acquired a knowledge of their profession 
in India. Few Europeans reside within the fort; in 
consequence of the additional heat reflected from high 
walls; and the want of a free circulation; arising from 
crowded buildings ; but they have houses in the country 
within a short ride of the town; to which they come 
every morning to transact their business; and return 
to their country residences about six o’clock. The 
Armenian bridge; thrown over the river Meilapoor; on 
the road from Madras to St. Thomas’s Mount; is a 
very interesting object : the extreme length; including 
the causeway; is four hundred and ten yards ; it has 
twenty-nine arches; of irregular dimensions; owing to 
the recent repairs which it has undergone in conse- 
quence of inundations. The government-house is a 
superb building; fronted by a splendid colonnade; 
which leads down to the sea-gate; where merchan- 
dize of various kinds is continually carried from and 
to the ships in the roads. The Black Town; which 
is the quarter principally inhabited by the native 
b 3 
