A 
JOURNEY FROM MADRAS, &c. 
CHAPTER I. 
FHOM MADRAS TO CONJEVERAM, ARCOT, VELLORE, PALIGONDA, 
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SATGUDAM, PEDDA NAIKENA DURGA, VENCATAGHERY, BAY- 
DAMUNGULUM, WALURU, CATCOLLI, TAYCULUM, BANGALORE, 
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AND SERINGAPATAM. 
M Y inquiries could not commence, with proper effect, till after CHAPTER 
my arrival at Seringapatam, nor until I had there procured ^5*^, 
sufficient authority from the Raja's Dew an ; I trust, however, that vicinity of 
my observations on the appearance of the country, as I passed 
along, will not be considered as entirely useless. 
In the afternoon of the 23d April 1800, I set out from Madras, in 
the very hot dry weather, which usually prevails at this season. 
After leaving the plain occupied by the houses of Europeans, 1 
entered a country then scorched up by a powerful sun, yet con- 
taining little waste land ; for the soil, being fine, produces a very 
good crop of rice, provided, in the wet season, the usual quantity 
of rain falls. In some places, the industry of the natives causes 
a verdure that is highly refreshing, by watering a few fields, that 
are near tanks, or reservoirs of water. These fields are now covered 
with rice, approaching to maturity; and in the rainy season they will 
yield another crop. The appearance of the country, however, at 
Vol. I. B 
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