Buchanan, Francis: A Journey from Madras through the countries of Mysore, Canara and Malabar ... (Band 1) (London, 1807)

362

A JOURNEY FROM MADRAS THROUGH

CHAPTER make a very conspicuous appearance; Avhereas in general they are
VI- scarcely visible, being hidden by the immensity of the rocks on

July 24. which they are situated. On the fall of the Vijaya-nagara monarchy,
this place belonged to a Polygar named Chiccuppa Gauda ; but more
than a century ago it came into the possession of the Mysore fa-
mily. Mul Raja built the fortress of stone, which formerly had
been only of mud. Here also he built a palace; in the suburbs he
rebuilt a large temple; and near it he made fine gardens, and the
handsomest building for the reception of travellers that I have seen
in India. Unfortunately, it is now ruinous. The fortifications were
improved to their present form by Hycler; the place in his time
Avas a considerable mart, and possessed some manufactures, having
a hundred houses occupied by weavers. A Marattah chief, named
Madi Row, held it for seven years of Hydefs government, having
seized it after the victory which his countrymen gained at Tonnru.
When he was forced to retire, he plundered the town of every thing
that he could carry away; and with the exaggeration usual in Hin-
dustan, the place is said to have then been so rich, that he disdained
to remove any thing less valuable than gold. The oppressions of
Tippoo had nearly ruined the place, when the destruction was com-
pleted by the Marattah chief Buhvunt Row, one of Purseram Bhow's
officers. Although he besieged the fort five months, he was unable
to take it. His army was numerous, exaggerated by native ac-
counts to 20,000 men; but they were a mere rabble, a banditti
assembled by the Polygars, who formerly were dispossessed of the
neighbouring strong-holds, and who then had ventured back under
the protection of Lord Cornwallis. When that nobleman gave peace
to the Sultan, these ruffians had entirely ruined every open place in
the neighbourhood; but they were immediately afterwards dispersed
by the Sultan, who pursued with so much activity the 500 Marattah
horse which had joined this rabble, that twenty only escaped with
their chief. The place has ever since been in a very languishing