VOYAGE FROM BOMBAY TO MADRAS AND CALCUTTA.

No. I.

Severndroog-Angriah-Goa-Mangalore-Tellicherry-Calicut.

MARCH 19th. Our preparations for sea being all complete, we embarked in the afternoon, with several passengers, for the Malabar Coast. It was about five P. M. when we made sail from our anchorage, and the pilot leaving us at six, we were clear of the harbour by sun-set. The breeze was fresh from the N. W., and the water smooth. The ship was in high order, and the crew steady, so that we had before us the prospect of an agreeable voyage. enjoyed the pleasure and advantage of the moon, nearly at the full, and having brought the island of Kenery to bear east, at eight o'clock we bore up, and steered a course of S. S. E. along the coast, under all sail.

We

20th. At day-light, we were abreast of the river of Bancoot, and could plainly distinguish Fort Victoria, on the hill which rises from the southern bank of this river, and near the point of its outlet into the sea. This fort is at present in possession of the British, and garrisoned by officers and sepoys from the Bombay army, by whom it was taken from the celebrated pirate, Angria, in the year 1755. It was then a strong hold for his forces, while the river admitted his piratical vessels, which were a source of constant and serious interruption to the British commerce along this coast; but it is now a valuable military post, as continuing the chain of forts along the coast, and a convenient place of cheap and abundant supply to shipping sailing from India to Europe.

About four leagues to the S. S. E. of the entrance to Bancoot river, and Fort Victoria, we came abreast of the small low island of Severndroog. This island is so close to the main land, as to be distinguished from it with difficulty, except by those who may have seen it before. This was another of the stations of the pirate Angria, and the fortifications on it were mostly hewn out of the solid rock, or where not excavated, built of large blocks of ten and twelve feet square. On this island, there are said to have been at one time, fifty pieces of cannon mounted, and in three other forts opposite to it on the continent, the works of which were also strongly constructed, were eighty other pieces of cannon, all belonging to Angria. In the year 1755, the island was attacked by a British squadron, under Commodore James, and on the walls being battered down, the buildings fired, and a powder magazine blowing up, the garrison attempted to escape over to Fort Goa, the principal, one of the three on the opposite shore. They were intercepted, however, and made prisoners. The fort itself was next attacked,

and soon surrendered, though the governor of it passed over to the island of Severndroog, under the hope of being able to maintain a further stand there, not knowing, perhaps, the extent to which the fortifications were destroyed. A second attack was directed against this retreat of the fugitive, and the British sailors cutting a passage through one of the gates with their battle-axes, the complete conquest of it was speedily effected. The two remaining forts on the continent surrendered at the same time, and thus four of the fortresses of this chief, that were all held to be impregnable, were carried by a valorous little band in a single day, and this stroke was a prelude to the total annihilation of this piratical power, which was effected in the succeeding year.

At noon, we observed in lat. 17° 38′ N., and long. 73° 5' E., in seventeen fathoms water. We were then nearly abreast of the river and fort of Angenweel. The river is said to admit the entrance of pretty large coasting vessels, and the fort is considered a sufficient protection for the place. Our offing from the coast was now, however, from two to three leagues, so that the minute features of it were not distinctly seen.

The sea-breeze set in freshly soon after noon, and we passed Cape Boria, a remarkably high, bluff head-land, perfectly barren, and having a small pagoda on its summit. At four P. M. we were off Zyghin, where the country appears to be beautifully wooded, and where we thought we could perceive a fine public road lined with trees, extending for several miles along the level table land, of a moderately high range, extending out to the north-westward.

At sun-set we were off Rettrah-Gheriah, or False Gheriah, called so, probably, from some deceptive appearances of resemblance to the real Gheriah, which is a place of note to the southward. The neck of land on which this place stands, is fortified all over, and there is an harbour, and a landing place on the other side of it. A large Banyan tree is spoken of as a sea-mark near to this place, as early as in the old charts of 1700, published by John Thornton, and is said still to exist, but as the night closed upon us soon after passing Rettrah-Gheriah, we did not perceive it.

21st. We had passed in the night by Radjapour Fort, with a white pagoda on the summit of a hill near it, both of them visible by the bright moonlight and clear sky, which we enjoyed, as we kept within twelve to fifteen fathoms water, and consequently, not far from the shore.

At day-light, we were abreast of Gheriah, and the land breezes blowing fresh from the eastward, came off to us charged with the most agreeable odours, though there was nothing of woodiness or extraordinary verdure in the appearance of the country, that would have led us to expect this. The character of the land, as far as we

had hitherto remarked it from Bombay thus far, is high, and often broken into detached mountains, though there is seen here at Gheriah, a plain, extending for several miles from their bases to the edge of the coast, which appears every where fertile and productive.

At noon, having passed by Dewghur harbour, and Atchera river in the way, we observed in lat. 16° 3′ N., and were, by chronometer, in long. 73° 31' E., with the island and fort of Melundy, or Malwan, bearing E. by N. five or six miles.

Both Gheriah and Malwan were, for a long period, the ports of pirates, who were powerful enough to commit very serious depredations on all the maritime trade of the coast. Gheriah was the chief seat of Angria, a noted marauder, whose power was acknowledged over an extent of nearly 300 miles along the coast, from near Bombay to Onora southward, and over all the breadth of the plain country from the sea coast to the feet of the Ghaut mountains, eastward. The existence of this piratical power was the original cause of the formation of the East India Company's marine at Bombay, for the protection of their own trade along the coast; and in the year 1717, an attempt was made on Gheriah, by this marine, with a body of troops on board, but it proved unsuccessful. The Dutch were also defeated in an attempt which they made on the same place in 1735, when they sent a strong force from Batavia against it. In the following year, the vessels of Angria took a large Indiaman, richly laden, called the Derby, as well as the Restoration, a ship of 20 guns, and 200 men, which had been fitted out purposely to cruise against them. From the French, they took the Jupiter, of 40 guns, and from the Dutch, they took several large ships also. The English commodore Lisle, in the Vigilant, of 64 guns, in company with the Ruby of 50 guns, and several smaller ships of war, were attacked by these pirates, who though they made no captures, got off safely from the contest themselves. In 1754, the fleet of Angria attacked a Dutch squadron, consisting of three ships, one of 50 guns, one of 36, and one of 18, and succeeded in burning the two larger ones, and capturing the smaller. In 1756, Admiral Watson, with two sail of the line, several frigates, and all the ships of the East India Company's marine, with 2,000 troops on board, in conjunction with another fleet and army, furnished by the Mahrattas for that purpose, attacked the fortress of Gheriah, and fortunately succeeded in reducing it. There were found in the fort, upwards of 200 pieces of cannon and mortars, besides an abundance of military stores of all kinds, and more than 100,000l. in money, which was divided equally among the captors, without reserve for the nation, or the East India Company, at whose expense the expedition had been fitted out. The whole of Angria's fleet was at the same time destroyed, as well as two large 40 gun ships building on the stocks; and since that time, though it has been a port of the Mahrattas,

it has not been as before, a nest of pirates, against all nations and flags.

Malwan was also for a long period the resort of a piratical race, distinct from those under Angria, at Gheriab, and called from the name of their island, Malwani. As the Rajah of this place was a despotic chief, like all the other sovereigns of this country, the vessels were fitted out entirely at his expense, and the prizes brought in by them were solely his own, out of which he bestowed as his caprice might direct, rewards and donations on the captors of them. The appearance of this island from the sea, is agreeable, and the walls of the fortifications may be seen a long way off. The island is low, and opposite to it on the continent, are other fortifications, which may sometimes be seen over it. This place is now in possession of the East India Company, who have a resident and a garrison there, and the British flag was displayed as we passed it.

As the ground is said to be foul along this part of the coast, within the depth of ten fathoms, we kept along in the line of fifteen, steering S.S.E., in the direction of the coast. At 2 P. M., having gone about eleven miles, we had the two longest of the Vingorla rocks in one, bearing N.E. E. These are rather islands than rocks, though barren and uninhabited, and lie off the fort of Newtee, which belongs to the English, but is a place of no importance. The passage between the Vingorla islands and the main land, is thought to be safe only for small vessels, as the channel has many rocks in it, the positions of which are not well known, though the passage is nearly two miles in breadth, and has in most places, from six to eight fathoms water. The Vingorla rocks are sometimes called the Burnt Islands, probably from their parched and barren appearance. There are in all upwards of twenty in number, that are visible above the water, and though some of them are low, there are others that are upwards of fifty feet above the water's edge. They appear to occupy a space of about five miles in length, and they are generally distant from two to five miles from the continent. Those of the southernmost group appear to be connected by a reef, but many of the other seem to have clear passages between them.

As we had a favourable breeze, we passed by Raree, Chiracole, and Chapra, three forts on the coast, in the afternoon, seeing them all, and distinguishing the flag-staffs, but observing no colours displayed on them. The two last of these garrisons are in the possession of the Portuguese, who do not usually display their colours here, except to answer those of their own vessels.

At sun-set, we approached the entrance to Goa, which at this hour of the day, looked particularly interesting. The white monastery of Nostra Senhora de la Cabo, which is seated on the summit of a steep promontory overlooking the waves of the sea, was just receiving the last rays of light that lingered in the west, and from its elevated site, seemed still to enjoy the sunshine, while the sha

dows of evening were giving their darker hue to every other object. Our bearings were then, the Monastery S.E. by E. E., the Flag-staff of Algoada E. by S. & S., and the outermost of the St. George's Islands S.S.E. E. about four leagues. We all regretted our not having occasion to touch at Goa, a place of such note in the Portuguese annals of this country, and one, according to report, of so much architectural splendour, in ruined and deserted churches, monasteries, nunneries, inquisitions, colleges, and palaces of state. We read its history on passing it, with more of interest than is commonly felt when one is very remote from the scene treated of, and we indulged a hope that the more tolerant and liberal policy of the British, in their government of India, would prevent their capitals from falling into the degraded state of this once splendid seat of Catholic bigotry and vice-regal power.

22d. We had light airs from off the land during the night, and at day-break were abreast of Cape Ramers, a bluff head-land projecting from the line of the coast, so as to form a bay on each side. This cape, or the river Salsette, about two miles to the northward of it, is considered as the limit between the provinces of the Southern Concan, and Canara, the former of which ends, and the latter begins here.

At ten A. M., we were off Carwar, or as it is called by some, Sudasaghur, a fort at the entrance of a river, which is said to have two and a half and three fathoms over its bar, and to be capable, therefore, of receiving ships of three or four hundred tons burthen. It was once a place of great commercial consequence, and had a British factory for the collection of pepper, and coarse cotton cloths, manufactured in the country. As early as 1684, the trade here was interrupted by some English sailors having stolen a cow, and killed it, which, as the Natives were Hindoos, incensed them so much as to lead them to open hostilities, in which two children of rank were killed, and the irritation thereby increased.

Nearly opposite this place, are a number of small islets, which are called the Oyster Rocks. These are all above water, though destitute of vegetation, and there is said to be a safe passage as well as good anchorage between them and the main; the depths varying from three to six fathoms on a muddy bottom.

At noon, we observed in lat. 14° 46' N., and were by chronometer, in long. 73° 58′ E., with the island of Anjediva bearing E. N. distant nine or ten miles, and our soundings in twenty fathoms.

This island of Anjediva is about a mile in length, and is separated from the continent by a strait of about two miles across, which is safely navigable, having six or seven fathoms water in mid-channel, and no hidden dangers. It is in possession of the Portuguese, and though it appears to be barren and rocky toward the sea, it is said