DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.2373#0080
MYSORE, CANARA, AND MALABAR.
6t
immediately retired. Those who knew the man, and especially the CHAPTER
Sultan's mother, a very respectable lady, represented to that prince,
how dangerous such a proceeding was, and that, if persisted in,
it would throw every thing into confusion; for the apparent ac-
quiescence of Purnea was merely words of course, and his influ-
ence among* the people was considerable. Tippoo very properly
allowed the affair to rest, and nothing more was said on the
subject.
From the £Oth of May, to the 5th of June, I was employed in
visiting every thing remarkable in Seringapatam and its neighbour-
hood, and in taking an account of the state of agriculture, arts,
and commerce at that place.
Seringapatam, as is well known, is situated at the upper end of an
island surrounded by the Cdvery, which is here a large and rapid C&very*
river, with a very extensive channel, filled with rocks, and frag-
ments of granite. At this season it is in many places fordable with
facility; but during the rains it rises very high, to the great incon-
venience of the inhabitants. On the south branch of the river a
bridge has been erected, which serves also as an aqueduct, to con- Bridges,
vey from the upper part of the river a large canal of water into the
town and island. The rudeness of this bridge will show the small
progress that the arts have made in Mysore. Square pillars of
granite are cut from the rock, of a sufficient height to rise above
the water at the highest floods. These are placed upright in rows,
as long as the intended width of the bridge, and distant about ten
feet from each other. They are secured at the bottom by being
let into the solid rock, and their tops being cut to a level, a long
stone is laid upon each row. Above these longitudinal stones others
are placed contiguous to each other, and stretching from row to
row, in the direction of the length of the bridge. The whole
breadth of this may be twenty feet. One half is occupied by the
aqueduct, which is secured at the bottom and on both sides by
brick and plaster. The road is laid with gravel, and secured by
6t
immediately retired. Those who knew the man, and especially the CHAPTER
Sultan's mother, a very respectable lady, represented to that prince,
how dangerous such a proceeding was, and that, if persisted in,
it would throw every thing into confusion; for the apparent ac-
quiescence of Purnea was merely words of course, and his influ-
ence among* the people was considerable. Tippoo very properly
allowed the affair to rest, and nothing more was said on the
subject.
From the £Oth of May, to the 5th of June, I was employed in
visiting every thing remarkable in Seringapatam and its neighbour-
hood, and in taking an account of the state of agriculture, arts,
and commerce at that place.
Seringapatam, as is well known, is situated at the upper end of an
island surrounded by the Cdvery, which is here a large and rapid C&very*
river, with a very extensive channel, filled with rocks, and frag-
ments of granite. At this season it is in many places fordable with
facility; but during the rains it rises very high, to the great incon-
venience of the inhabitants. On the south branch of the river a
bridge has been erected, which serves also as an aqueduct, to con- Bridges,
vey from the upper part of the river a large canal of water into the
town and island. The rudeness of this bridge will show the small
progress that the arts have made in Mysore. Square pillars of
granite are cut from the rock, of a sufficient height to rise above
the water at the highest floods. These are placed upright in rows,
as long as the intended width of the bridge, and distant about ten
feet from each other. They are secured at the bottom by being
let into the solid rock, and their tops being cut to a level, a long
stone is laid upon each row. Above these longitudinal stones others
are placed contiguous to each other, and stretching from row to
row, in the direction of the length of the bridge. The whole
breadth of this may be twenty feet. One half is occupied by the
aqueduct, which is secured at the bottom and on both sides by
brick and plaster. The road is laid with gravel, and secured by