A JOURNEY FROM MADRAS THROUGH 
CHAPTER 
I. 
Iron ore. 
State of cul 
tivation. 
Villages and 
forts. 
inhabitants were obliged to have recourse to this their native salt ; 
against which, however, they are strongly prejudiced, considering 
it as inferiour to the salt made from sea- water. 
I am informed, that in every part of the country the black sand 
ore of iron is brought down by the torrents ; but that it is smelted 
in such places only as abound with woods. It is called Nalla isaca> 
in the Telinga language ; Cari usu in the Carnataca , and Carupu 
Manul in the dialect of the Tamuls. 
The land that has not been cultivated, is much less in proportion 
than in my yesterday’s route : I do not think, that it occupies above 
three tenths of the country. It consists entirely of rocks, or stones, 
without copse wood : but affords some miserable pasture in the in- 
terstices between the lumps of granite. In a few places are small 
hills. The wet ground cannot be more than one-fortieth part of 
the arable land. * 
The country is exceedingly bare, and the population scanty. 
All the houses are collected in villages; and the smallest village, of 
five or six houses, is fortified. The defence of such a village con- 
sists of a round stone wall, perhaps forty feet in diameter, and six 
feet high. On the top of this is a parapet of mud, with a door in it, 
to which the only access is by a ladder. In case of a plundering 
party coming near the village, the people ascend into this tower, 
with their families, and most valuable effects, and having drawn 
* • 
up the ladder defend themselves with stones, which even the wo- 
men throw with great force and dexterity. Larger villages have 
square forts, with round towers at the angles. In those still larger, 
or in towns, the defences are more numerous, and the fort serves as 
a citadel; while the village, or Pettah, is surrounded by a weaker 
defence of mud. The inhabitants consider fortifications as neces- 
sary for their existence, and are at the whole expence of building, 
and the risk of defending them. The country, indeed, has for a long 
series of years been in a constant state of warfare ; and the poor 
inhabitants have suffered too much from all parties, to trust in any. 
