DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.2375#0162
158
CHAPTER
XVI.
Feb. 24.
Feb. 25.
Face of the
country.
Pepper grow,
ing sponta-
neously.
A JOURNEY FROM MADRAS THROUGH
level situations it will be much less, and in steep places much more.
Some people go to 50 Pagodas for 100 trees, or 2 Rupees for each.
No value is put upon the future expense, which is merely that of
the keeper and his wife, who get 2-£ Hanies of coarse rice daily, and
4 Rupees a year for clothing; that is to say, 37\ bushels of rice,
worth 32TVo5o Rupees, and 4 Rupees in money; or in all 36 Rupees
13 Anas (31. \4<s. 3d.). It must be observed, however, that after
the first year the plantaius are adequate to the defraying of this
expense, which is therefore not charged in the accompt. The far-
mer has therefore, on an average, 50 Rupees a year, for an original
advance of from one to two hundred ; but out of this must be de-
ducted the revenue. His profit is much larger where he has a sale
for Betel-leaf. It appears to me, that the gardens here are formed
with more care, and at a greater expense, than in Malabar, where a
colony of Haiga Brahmans would be highly beneficial.
25th February.—In the morning, having crossed the river, I took a
circle of about six miles into the country east from Mir zee, in order
to see some forests that spontaneously produce black pepper. The;
whole of the country through which I passed was hilly; but I met
with several narrow vallies well watered, though not fully culti-
vated, owing to a want of inhabitants.. Many of the hills were so^
barren, steep, and rocky, that I was soon forced to dismount from
my horse, and proceed on foot. These hills consist entirely of,
naked Laterite. Other hills, which were those I sought after, were
covered with stately forests.
The pepper-plant (Piper nigrum) seems to grow spontaneously
on the sides of all the narrow vallies in the interior of Haiga, where
the soil is so rich and moist as to produce lofty trees close to each
other, by which a constant coolness is retained. In such places
the pepper-vine runs along the ground, and the roots of bushes, and,
propagates itself entirely by striking its roots into the soil,.and.
then again sending out new shoots. The natives say, that without
assistance it cannot ascend a tree; and that, unless it is exposed in
CHAPTER
XVI.
Feb. 24.
Feb. 25.
Face of the
country.
Pepper grow,
ing sponta-
neously.
A JOURNEY FROM MADRAS THROUGH
level situations it will be much less, and in steep places much more.
Some people go to 50 Pagodas for 100 trees, or 2 Rupees for each.
No value is put upon the future expense, which is merely that of
the keeper and his wife, who get 2-£ Hanies of coarse rice daily, and
4 Rupees a year for clothing; that is to say, 37\ bushels of rice,
worth 32TVo5o Rupees, and 4 Rupees in money; or in all 36 Rupees
13 Anas (31. \4<s. 3d.). It must be observed, however, that after
the first year the plantaius are adequate to the defraying of this
expense, which is therefore not charged in the accompt. The far-
mer has therefore, on an average, 50 Rupees a year, for an original
advance of from one to two hundred ; but out of this must be de-
ducted the revenue. His profit is much larger where he has a sale
for Betel-leaf. It appears to me, that the gardens here are formed
with more care, and at a greater expense, than in Malabar, where a
colony of Haiga Brahmans would be highly beneficial.
25th February.—In the morning, having crossed the river, I took a
circle of about six miles into the country east from Mir zee, in order
to see some forests that spontaneously produce black pepper. The;
whole of the country through which I passed was hilly; but I met
with several narrow vallies well watered, though not fully culti-
vated, owing to a want of inhabitants.. Many of the hills were so^
barren, steep, and rocky, that I was soon forced to dismount from
my horse, and proceed on foot. These hills consist entirely of,
naked Laterite. Other hills, which were those I sought after, were
covered with stately forests.
The pepper-plant (Piper nigrum) seems to grow spontaneously
on the sides of all the narrow vallies in the interior of Haiga, where
the soil is so rich and moist as to produce lofty trees close to each
other, by which a constant coolness is retained. In such places
the pepper-vine runs along the ground, and the roots of bushes, and,
propagates itself entirely by striking its roots into the soil,.and.
then again sending out new shoots. The natives say, that without
assistance it cannot ascend a tree; and that, unless it is exposed in