MYSORE, CANARA, AND MALABAR, 
6 1 
immediately retired. Those who knew the man, and especially the 
Sultan’s mother, a very respectable lady, represented to that prince, 
how dangerous such a proceeding was, and that, if persisted in, 
it would throw every thing into confusion ; for the apparent ac- 
quiescence of Purnea was merely words of course, and his influ- 
ence among the people was considerable. Tippoo very properly 
allowed the affair to rest, and nothing more was said on the 
subject. 
From the 20th of May, to the 5th of June , I was employed in 
visiting every thing remarkable in Seringapatam and its neighbour- 
hood, and in taking an account of the state of agriculture, arts, 
and commerce at that place. 
Seringapatam, as is well known, is situated at the upper end of an 
island surrounded by the Cavery, which is here a large and rapid 
river, with a very extensive channel, filled with rocks, and frag- 
ments of granite. At this season it is in many places fordable with 
facility; but during the rains it rises very high, to the great incon- 
venience of the inhabitants. On the south branch of the river a 
bridge has been erected, which serves also as an aqueduct, to con- 
vey from the upper part of the river a large canal of water into the 
town and island. The rudeness of this bridge will show the small 
progress that the arts have made in Mysore. Square pillars of 
granite are cut from the rock, of a sufficient height to rise above 
the water at the highest floods. These are placed upright in rows, 
as long as the intended width of the bridge, and distant about ten 
feet from each other. They are secured at the bottom by being 
let into the solid rock, and their tops being cut to a level, a long 
stone is laid upon each row. Above these longitudinal stones others 
are placed contiguous to each other, and stretching from row to 
row, in the direction of the length of the bridge. The whole 
breadth of this may be twenty feet. One half is occupied by the 
aqueduct, which is secured at the bottom and on both sides by 
brick and plaster. The road is laid with gravel, and secured by 
CHAPTER 
II. 
May 19 . 
Cdvery , 
Bridges, 
/ 
V 
