Buchanan’s journey through

59 z

were well kept. Want of water is the principal defect of thefe gardens ; for in thisarid country every thing, during the dry feafon, muft be artificially watered. Thegarden of Tippoo is fupplied from three wells, the water of which is raifed by thecapily, or leather bag, faftened to a cord palling over a pulley, and wrought by apair of bullocks, which defcend an inclined plane. This, the workmen fay, is amuch more effectual machine than the yatam. Hyder’s garden is watered from arefervoir, without the afliftance of machinery. The tafte of Hyder accorded morewith the Englilh than that of his fon. His walks are wider, his cyprefs trees are notfo much crowded ; and in the means for watering the plots there is not fo muchmafonry, or bricklayer’s work, employed. There is, indeed, fo much of thefe in theparts of Tippoo ’s garden which he probably conlidered the fineft, as almoft to coverthe ground, and to leave nothing but holes, as it were, through w hich the trees grow.

In this climate the cyprefs and vine grow luxuriantly, and the apple and peach bothproduce fruit ; the former much better, and the latter much worfe than at Calcutta .Some pine and oak plants, lately introduced from the Cape of Good Hope , feem tobe thriving. I think there can be little doubt, but that in this country all the valuableplants of the Levant would fucceed. The people at the gardens could form no efti-mate of the quantity of grapes produced by any number of vines.

.At Bangalore there are many Mufiulmans ; and, owing to the change of govern-ment, they are in great diftrels. Accuftomed to a military life, they do not readilyenter into civil occupations, nor are they willing to attach themfelves to the militaryfervice of the enemies of their late Sultan. Many of the more wealthy among them,however, are now betaking themfelves to trade, and the poorer fort are gaining alivelihood by agriculture.

I was much furprifed to hear, that the greateft complainers againft the change ofgovernment are certain Brahmans ; although, by the fall of Tippoo , this caff has beenfreed from perfecution, and is now in the almoft exclufive poffeffion of public offices.But it is alleged, that under the government of Tippoo , the perfecutions fell chiefly onthe Brahmans attached to temples, who are confidered as low men ; while the Lokika,being the only men of bufinefs in the country, were in full poffeffion of the revenuedepartment. During the reign of the Sultan, the number of petty officers in thisdepartment was immenfe, and every one was permitted to {hare in the fpoil of thecountry. Theprefentfyftemis, to reduce the number of officers, and to give to thofewho are employed allowances that ought to put them above temptation ; while a ftrictwatch at the head of affairs renders it very dangerous either to injure the revenue, orthe fubject. By this fyftem many Brahmans, formerly employed, are now deftitute,and are faid to be very clamorous.

I faw here a man labouring under the durda, elephantiafis, or lepra arabum ;and am told, that in almoft every village one or two perfons will be found afflictedwith this terrible malady. It is very much confined to the poorer clafs of inhabitants,who here, however, enjoy a dry air, and ufe very little fifli in their food. Thefrequency of the difeafe in the lower parts of Bengal, and about Cochin on the coaftof Malabar, had led to an opinion, that it was produced by a moift climate, and a dietconfiding of the fifli which frequent muddy places : but the prevalence of the dileafeamong the dry hills of Myfore ftrongly invalidates this opinion, efpecially as fiffi arelittle ufed by the inhabitants of that country.

Above the Ghats the kuflit’ha, or leprofy, in which the Ikin of the nativesbecomes white, is alfo very common. The perfons troubled with it enjoy, in everyrefpect, good health, and their children are like thofe of other people.

4 12 th May*