5*7
Near Vencataghery alfo iron is fmelted from black fand, and mixed with the foil ofdifferent fields: lime-ftone, in form of nodules, is common. The ftrata refemble thofein the Ghats. The white granite is the moll prevalent; but the maffes of quartz im-pregnated with iron are much larger, and more perfect. I faw no other rocks: itwould however appear, from the Hones in the wall of the fort, that the country producesred granite. Near Vencataghery I obferved the water tinged with an iridescent oilymatter, floating on its furface, as is ufual in coal countries.
5th May.'—In the morning I went to Baydamungulum ; leaving on my right a hillcrowned with a fortrefs, and a temple dedicated to Seitadeva. By the way I vifiteda place to the north of my rout, where the natives obtain limeftone. I found it to betwo fmall fields, containing what in Bengal is called congcar. Thefe fields are diftantfrom each other about three hundred yards, and are fituated on a low piece of ground,furrounded by naked rocks of white granite. This low ground is interfered by thechannel of a torrent, u'hich at this feafon is quite dry ; and the water of the only fprmgthat I have yet feen in this arid country, paffes by the fides of the two calcareous fields.In fome parts of thefe fields, the fmall concretions, of which congcar confifts, arefound on the furface, mixed with the foil; in others a foot of foil mull be removed,before they are found in any quantity. The natives have never dug deep to afcertainthe thicknefs of the bed. This kind of Hone feems to be the calcareus oequabilis incar-natus of Wallerius. II. p. 124. Similar beds are faid to be fcattered all over thecountry. A few families of Malawanlu gain a fubfiftence by collefting the lime-ftone, by burning it in kilns, and felling the chunam, or quick-lime, for chewing withbetel.
Common fait (muriate of foda) feems to be alfo very generally diffufed over this partof the country. It is found in low wet grounds, contained in a black poor foil, andin Tippoo ’s reign was extrared in confiderable quantities. The trade with the Nabob’sdominions being then entirely contraband, fucha bulky article could not befmuggled inquantities fufficient for the confumption, and the inhabitants were obliged to have recourfeto this their native fait; againft which, however, they are ftrongly prejudiced, confider-ing it as inferior to the fait made from from fea-water.
I am informed, that in every part of the country the black fand ore of iron is broughtdown by the torrents; but that it is fmelted in fuch places only as abound with woods.It is called nalla ifaca, in the Telinga language; cari ufu, in the Carnataca , andcarupa manul, in the diale£l of the Tamals.
The land that has not been cultivated is much lefs in proportion than in my yefter-day’s route: I do not think that it occupies above three-tenths of the country. Itconfifts entirely of rocks, or (tones, without copfe wood ; but affords fome miferablepafture in the mterftices between the lumps of granite. In a few places are fmall hills.The wet ground cannot be more than one-fortieth part of the arable land.
The country is exceedingly bare, and the population fcanty. All the houfes arecolle&ed in villages; and the fmalleft village, of five or fix houfes, is fortified. Thedefence of fuch a village confifts of a round (tone wall, perhaps forty feet in diameter,and fix feet high. On the top of this is a parapet of mud, with a door in it, tow hich the only accefs is by a ladder. In cafe of a plundering party coming near thevillage, the people afcend into this tower with their families, and moft valuable effects,and having drawn up the ladder defend themfelves with (tones, which even the womenthrow with great force and dexterity. Larger villages have Jfquare forts, with roundtowers at the angles. In thofe (till larger, or in towns, the defences are more numerous,and the fort ierves as a citadel; while the village, or pettah, is furrounded by a weaker
4 f 2 defence