57F
night and day, in order to break down the temporary bank, fhould any additionalrain endanger the whole. The water is let out, to fupply the fields, by-a fluice linedwith cut ftone, or bricks, and placed under the bank, on a level with the country.The inner end of this fluice is covered by a flat ftone, irr which is cut a circular^opening, that can be fhut or opened by a plug fixed to a bamboo, and fecured in itsplace by two pillars of ftone, which rife above the level of the water. The propername for a tank of this kind, in the Tamul language, is Eray. Saymbrumbacum tankis faid to be fufficient to fupply with the water lands of thirty-two villages (fhould therains fail) for eighteen months. In thefe villages, it is faid, there are five thoufandperfons employed in agriculture. In a country liable to famine from want of rain, arefervior, fuch as this, is of ineftimable value.
The late colleftor, Mr. Place, although he augmented the revenue confiderably,by the repairs made on this tank during his adminiftration, gave great fatisfaction tothe inhabitants. Another of Mr. Place’s meafures feems to have been very welljudged. He caufed each village to be furrounded by a hedge of bamboos, with twofmall towers at each gate. By this meafure, in cafe of any invafion, fmall parties ofplundering cavalry may be kept off, and a great quantity of that moft valuable plant,the bamboo will in time be raifed. At prefent it is brought from the neighbourhoodof Tripetty, and fells three-fold dearer than at Calcutta : for from ten to fixteenBamboos coft here a pagoda, or 7s. 4^d.
The remaining part of my journey to Sri Permaturu tank was along the highgrounds that bound it, and the Saymbrumbacum refervoir on the fouth. The land isno where fo fteep as to prevent the ufe of the plough ; but in moft places the foilis very indifferent. The rocks, or large detached maffes of granite, project in manyfields; and almoft every where the country is overrun with low prickly bullies, fuchas the Rhamnm circumfajfus of Linnaeus , Rhcimnus fccndens of Roxburgh, PaitliniaAfiatica , and Moneiia Barlerioides. Except in a few fields, -which in the rainy feafonare fown with ragy ( Gynofurus corocanus ), and other dry grains, there is here no cul-tivation ; and I am affured by the natives* that in moft places the crop would not beworth the feed. It appears too dry for any ufeful purpofe, except giving a fcantypafture. Perhaps fome foreft trees might be planted on it with advantage, fuch asthe Gurgions of Bengal, and the Lagerstroniia regina. The Palmira, thrives onit without trouble; but the produce is fo cheap and abundant, from thofe which fpringforth almoft, fpontaneoufly, that, I am affured, the planting them on a large fcalewould not be profitable. The wild date ( Elate JylveJiris ) is in a fimilar predicament.
The tari, or fermented juice, and the jagory, or, infpiffated juice of the Palmiratree ( Boraffiis flabell/ormis\ are in this country more efteemed than thofe of thewild date,' which is contrary to the opinion of the Bengalefe. The people of theCarnatic alledge, that the produce of the latter is very heating. They pretend to bevery moderate in the ufe of the tari, but confume much of the jagory. . It fells inthe country for 30 vees, a pagoda, or about gs. 5d. a hundred-weight. Could it beconverted into either a palatable fpirituous liquor, or lugar, the barren plains of theCarnatic might rendered productive. The former appears not to be improbable, and .feems to be an object worth trying. If it Ihould anfwer, the whole of the grain dif-tilled in Europe might be faved for food.
A native of Bengal, who accompanies me as a painter, is delighted with the plentyof milk and dhui in this part of the country. The dhui, or four curds, is madecf buffalo’s milk; and is much fuperior, he fays, to that of Calcutta , and confiderably
cheaper.