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buchanan*s journey through
courfe plundered. The rich inhabitants had previoufly removed their moft valuable*effects into the fort; but thefe too fell a prey to the invaders, when that citadel alfowas taken by ftorm. After the Englilh left the place, Tippoo encouraged theinhabitants to come back, and by promifes allured them to collect together thewrecks of their fortunes, from the different places to which thefe had been conveyed.No fooner had. he effected this, than, under pretence of their having been friendlyto the Englilh, he furrounded the place with troops, and fleeced the inhabitants,till even the women were obliged to part with their molt trifling ornaments. He thenkept them Ihut up within a hedge, which furrounded the town at the diftance of acols, till the advance of the army under General Harris made the guard withdraw.The inhabitants, not knowing whom to truft, immediately difperfed, and for fomemonths the place continued deferted. The people, however, are now flocking to itfrom all quarters; and although there are few rich individuals, trade and.manufactures increafe apace; and the imports and exports are eftimated already to ■amount to one-fourth of what they were in its molt flourishing ftate. The manufac-turers and petty traders are Hill very diftruftful and timid ; but the merchants, manyof whom have been at Madras, and are acquainted with Britifh policy, feem to have;;the utmoft confidence in the protection of our government.
There is only one place below the weftern Ghats, with which at prefent the people-of Bangalore carry on any trade. It is called here codeal, or cowdal, and in ourmaps is named Mangalore . To that place are from hence fent cotton cloths, bothwhite and coloured, and manufactured in this neighbourhood. The returns areraw iiik and filk cloths. The trade to Calicut was formerly very confiderable ; butat prefent, owing to the unfettled ftate of the province of Malabar, it is at a Hand..The imports were all kinds of foreign goods brought in by fea. The exportswere coloured cotton cloths. Some perfons are now about to venture a renewal ofthis commerce.
The trade with the country ceded to the Nizam, and Marattahs, fouth from theKrifhna river, is canned on chiefly by the merchants of Balahari (Bellary ), Advany(Adoni), Aggady, Darwara, Hubuli, Naragunda, Navalagunda, and Gutti. Agentsfrom each of thefe places refide here, receive goods from their principals, and fellthem to the merchants of Bangalore . Sometimes, but rarely, the merchants ofBangalore go for a cargo of goods ; but at thefe places they have no agents. In. thecountries of the Nizam, and Marattahs, merchants meet with no difturbance ; but theduties are rather heavy. The chief import from thence is cotton wool, with fomecoarfe cotton thread, both white and red; coarfe white, red, and blue cotton clothsmuffins; dotras, or cotton cloths with filk borders; blankets worth from two to-three pagodas each; wheat; afafeetida; terra japonica; carthamus flowers, orcoffumba ; feringi root, a red dye ufed at Saliem ; dates; and dratcha, a kind of bad.raifin. The returns from Bangalore are made chiefly in money ; but fome colouredcotton and filk cloths are alfo fent.
Some Goffai merchants from Poonah bring fhawls, faffron, and mufk from Cafhemire,and Perfian pearls from Surat . The returns are made in money, and Manar pearls.
From Burrahunpour Patan merchants formerly brought chitdes, or chintz, and'gold lace, doth, and thread. The.exports were money, and pearls. This tradelias always been protected by the Marattahs; but, owing to the oppreffions of the-Sultan’s government, has for fome years been at a ftand. Some merchants are nowpreparing inveftments for its renewal.
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