36 
A JOURNEY FROM MADRAS THROUGH 
CHAPTER diseases; tlie prejudices, of all nations, however, concerning the 
h wholesomeness and insalubrity of different aliments, are so well 
known, as to deserve no attention. The grain of the salt is large, 
and consists of well-formed cubes; but it is mixed with much 
earthy impurity. At each of these salt works is an image of Gcmes- 
*wara, who receives sacrifices to prevent him from disturbing the 
operation. The image is placed in a temple little better than one 
Hedges of the 
Tirucalli. 
of the cisterns. 
The Eupkorbium Tirucalli , with very little trouble, makes excel- 
lent fences. In the beginning of the rainy season, cuttings are 
planted in a trench, which is dug where the fence is intended to 
grow, and they take root without any farther trouble. No cattle 
will eat this plant ; so that it is easily preserved, and in one year 
becomes a tolerable fence. The natives here plant also many aloes 
(agave vivipara) in their hedges, and use the leaves for making 
cordage. It forms a strong defence against both man and beast, 
and thrives better in the arid soil of Mysore, , than in any other 
place that I have seen: its Canarese, or Karnataca name is Ravana 
Meshid. 
Tayculum. Tayculum is strongly situated at the end of a small hill of granite, 
and has a triple wall, each line strengthened with various defences. 
The houses, about a hundred in number, are very poor, and hardly 
fill up the space between the outer and second line of defence, 
about sixty of these houses are occupied by Mussulmans, among 
whom is the Amildar. There are eight families of Brahmans , who 
are in possession of all the other offices under government. On 
the outside of the fort is a temple of Siva , and within it one of 
Vishnu ; both of which are ruinous. On visiting the latter, I asked 
when and by whom it was built. A Mussulman, who was my con- 
ductor, replied, that owing'' to the great antiquity of the building, 
nobody knew. On hearing this, a Brahman, sitting at the porch, 
asked with a sneer, if every body did not know that it had built 
itself. The Mussulman, attempting to be witty, asked the Brahman 
