mandant, who wished we should pay him the first salam ‡ (a matter of much consequence amongst these people;) but this we did not choose, which was told him in presence of his attendants, and by them was deemed a very great affront. The Colonel, as he stiled himself, took his leave very abruptly, much offended with our conduct. But upon his understanding we had letters for his Rajah, he sent a message, requesting he might have leave to speak with us, which was immediately granted; the colonel soon returned, salaming to the very ground, beg. ging he might be forgiven, and desiring to know what things we wanted, with which we should immediately be provided.

This little kingdom is divided by a wall, mounted with guns and flank. ed by square towers, which extends from the summits of two hills, composing part of a chain of mountains, which, except in two or three places, fortified in the same manner, render it inaccessible from the Carnatic, and great part of the Mysore country.

The Rajah of Travancore keeps up an army of about twelve thousand men, dressed and armed in the manner of our Sepoy battalions, and has a good many European officers of all nations in his service; but as their pay is small, and they are subject to great inconvenience from the prejudices of the inhabitants, there are few (if any) of ability in their profes

on the

gain, and soon reached the beach, alongst which we continued our route till we arrived at the village of Po. lum, where we were allowed to lodge in the church: on this coast (Malabar) there are no buildings purposely for the benefit of travellers, as coast of Coromandel; therefore they are permitted to lodge in their places of worship, at one end of which there is a small space appropriated to their images, &c. which are concealed by a curtain drawn across.-The other part exactly resembling a barn, neither form nor seat in it.-Their * padrys are mostly half casts, and generally very illiterate, appointed by the bishop of Goa, with a view of making converts, but seldom succeed with any but the refuse of the people.

On our march from Polum, which we left the 18th, frequently observed great variety of soils, the cause of which we could not comprehend: In the course of every two or three hundred yards, observed the colour of the soil different, sometimes black, sometimes white, and in one particular place, the soil of which was in some parts sandy, in others clayish, and of a bright scarlet colour.

After a tedious, and fatiguing march for our people, along a heavy sandy beach, we arrived at the vil lage of Colachie; where we found all kinds of provisions waiting us, by order of the Rajah, whose particu lar directions were, that we should neither pay for fowls, firewood, nor eggs. It is but justice to the inhabitants of this little kingdom, to acknowledge, that we found them particularly assidous to oblige, and afford us their assistance. Some of our coolies having deserted at Polum, we were under the necessity of applying to that village for others; the good people no sooner heard of our

dis

* Priests, Children by a native and Euro

pean.

distress, than several volunteers turned out to carry our trunks to the next village, and in this manner they tran sported our luggage with the greatest good nature and cheerfulness. About half past six A.M. on the 18th we left Colachie.-On our ap proach to every village we past, we were met by the principal man, attended by a fresh set of relief coolies, who positively refused any reward for their trouble; altho' we repeatedly -offered them money, they would not accept of a single shilling, said it was the orders of their Rajah, and they could receive no reward. This was a singular novelty to be found a mongst Indians. So different is it in the Carnatic, that you are often obliged to compel them by force, before you can have assistance, or supplies of any kind. But in justice to his highness the Nabob, it must be confessed, his orders are, that every thing wanted by an officer passing through his country, shall be found him at the accustomed price.

In this day's march we crossed in boats at the foot of two large rivers (Cullyturie and Neyatungarie,) the banks of which, rising with a gentle ascent for some hundred yards, were beautifully covered with a variety of trees. Halted this morning at a church to breakfast, where we found a Portuguese paddry; we invited the Rev. father to drink coffee with us, which he did with seeming satisfac tion. He complained of the smallness of his living, which he said was only 75 rupees per ann. paid by the bishop of Goa; and regretted he had it not in his power to show us that civility he wished. His parishioners, on account of his small sallary, made

an

annual contribution for him, which he said, sparingly afforded him the common necessaries of life. The Malabar language differed so much on this coast, from that spoken on the coast of Coromandel, that our servants with difficulty May 1806.

understood it. In this day's march, about 24 miles, we numbered 18 churches, 7 of which were under the jurisdiction of our friend, which he visited occasionally, generally staying one week with each at a time.

The paddry was so obliging as send the key of his own dwellinghouse on with us next day, as he knew the church to be in bad repair, which, in case of rain, we should have found very inconvenient *.

Marched about six this morning (20th.) This part of India resembles Europe more than any other I have yet seen all along the coast there are high grounds, entirely covered with wood, not of thorns, and briars, as on the coast of Coromandel, but of trees, and shrubs, of different species; beautiful, and extensive valleys, intersected with large spacious rivers, and inclosures in the highest cultivation. The inhabitants seem perfectly happy, and plentifully supplied with every necessary to make life comfortable.

The morning of the 22d arrived at Anjengo about one o'clock; not finding it possible to be accommodated with a vessel from this direct to Bombay, we determined to leave it immediately.-Anjengo is a small square fort, without a ditch, and of little strength, where there are two or three invalid serjeants, with a few sepoys, from the establishment of Bombay, there is likewise sent from that presidency, a chief, and council, for the management of the pepper trade; which has decreased for some years past, and now hardly pays the expence of the establishment. On the 23d left Anjengo, and arrived at Coilong (a Dutch factory) about four p. m. after a pleasant march of twenty miles. The country we marched through this day exceeds any

thing

* At every church there is a small house, for the reception of the paddry when he chooses to be there.;

putation of credulity or incredulity, (as you chuse to interpret it) to suspect a small degree of falsification in regard to the circumstances or embellishments of the story, were it no more than in rendering a particular feature more prominent than in its just and exact proportion.

From the general modesty of Cæsar's narrative, he appears incapable of the ridiculous, vain-glorious fanfaronade of some of our modern Cæsars: nor do I conceive he could have been cas pable of drowning 20,000 of his enemies, in a lake created expressly for the purpose. And yet, do not we find such narrations hazarded, even in defiance of the check of the general diffusion of the printing press? neither do I suppose that such a narration runs the least risk of being called in question by any collateral journals sent to their private friends by the inferior officers of the army; nor do I conceive it a very improbable conclusion, that, supposing a Pompey, not merely to dispute the supreme authority with this Cæsar, but even to wrest it from him, national vanity might still maintain a propensity to swallow, with a greedy faith, this and similar wonders; and that, notwithstanding of the reclamation of surrounding and enlightened independent nations; a check which Roman vanity experienced not from the days of Cæsar.

I have to observe, that your correspondent Z. has widely mistaken the object of my doubts. In his. last paragraph he supposes me to call in question the truth of the disgrace of a Roman army, in being made to pass under the yoke by the Swiss Tigurine canton (the canton of Zurich,) after the loss of their general, the consul Lucius Cassius, and of Lucius Piso his lieutenant, great grandfather of Cæsar's wife, who were both killed in the engage

ment.

Now, Sir, so far from disputing

this statement of Cæsar's (which, as Z. justly observes, would be to admit little short of a palpable absurdity,) if there is any such thing as truth in history, I should be disposed to attach to such a statement the most steady faith; and that, simply upon the admission of Cæsar, or of any o ther Roman. My reasons are so glaringly obvious, that it would be insulting your readers to dwell upon them. But, though I am not fool enough to question facts, in themselves credible, of which the admission has been extorted, in despite of the dictates of national vanity; yet I am not at all disposed to pay such implicit deference to the authority of names, which we have been taught to venerate as school boys, as to swallow facts in themselves improba ble, where national vanity gave an interest in falsification.

I do not dispute the general truth of Caesar's successful campaign against the Swiss; though, as to the minutia of numbers, and such lesser circumstances, it would be perhaps an indulgence, to grant to Cæsar's commentaries an equal degree of credit as to a British gazette, sifted, as the latter must be, by the prying zeal of a parliamentary opposition: neither am I disposed to dispute the outlines of the particular fact (about whose circumstances I hesitate,) namely, that, after three fourths of the Swiss had crossed the Arar (or Saone,) to the side where `Cæsar was, Cæsar, crossing this river, in a right march, with three legions, surprised, and attacked, and defeated, the other fourth, who could get no assistance from the other three fourths of their countrymen. The only questionable part of the relation is, the very fortunate circumstance, that this defeated part of the Swiss army should entire-` ly consist of this identical canton of Zuric, giving Cæsar the opportu nity of becoming the happy instrument of thus avenging, at one and the sam,

thing I have yet seen in India, for beauty and variety of prospect; full of woods, hills, dales, intersected with large rivers, and numberless inclosures in the highest state of culti vation.

Coilong is situated at a rocky point, projecting into the sea; is of an irregular form, has a very shallow ditch towards the land, is of very little strength, and seems to be at present much neglected by the Dutch; has little or no trade, which has been transferred to Cochin. There is an officer and a few sepoys in the place, and only one gentleman for the management of the company's business, (Mr Rosier.)

After a run of two days, we arrived, the 26th, at Cochin, the principal Dutch settlement on the coast of Malabar. In this garrison we got very conveniently accommodated, and at a reasonable rate, in an inn, which we discovered to be under the patronage of the governor, to whom the landlord paid a very high rent; we soon learnt, that the governor prohi. bited every person but the inn-keeper from disposing of merchandise, or any article, within the walls or environs of the fort, and that all persons were to supply themselves from him; however, we thought proper to break through these rules, and provided ourselves with our sea stock at a much cheaper rate than we could possibly have done at the Dutch governor's retail shop. Names of the different halting places, with the distance (miles English) from Madras, across the peninsula, to Coilong.

:

Vikirivandi
Viliparam
Trivanalore'
Ullundoorpettah
Coidoor
Volcondah
Uttaloor
Swagemveram
Banks of the Coleroon
Trichinopoly
Verimallie
Touramcouchie
Meleore
Madura
Trimungalum
Vendipittah
Chittoor
Coilpettah
Mitylumpettah
Palamcottah
Naganachara
Travancore
Polum
Colachie
Pillymully
Villidorny
Anjengo
Coilong

Total miles from Madras across the peninsula to Coilong, (To be continued.)

582

DEFENCE of DOUBTS on CÆSAR. SIR,

I

Was glad to find, in your number for December, that my doubts, in regard to the authenticity of a passage of Cæsar's relation of his own exploits, had drawn forth the sensible reply of your correspondent Z.

His general grounds, upon which he establishes the veracity of Cæsar, are well stated; and none but the most credulous sceptic would be inclined to dispute that the narration of Cæsar is, in general, founded upon fact. But, without pretending to impeach his general veracity, one may still be allowed, without much im

pu