tion *. He was enrolled among the Cbelas, or corps of flaves,
and continued fo till he made his efcape, in 1785, into his owu
dominions. His faithful fubjedts flocked to him. The fit'ft ait
was the flaughter of a brigade of T'ippoo's troops. The Rajab
inftantly offered his fervice to the Englijb: It was accepted, and
he proved a molt ufeful ally. Mercara, his capital, was in the
hands o f the enemy. We offered our afliftance to reduce it.
This he declined: but, after fome prudent delay, befieged it
with his own people, took and difmantled it, that in future his
fubjedts might depend on their own valour in the field for the
-defence of their country. At the treaty of Seringapatam, Marquis
C o r n w a l l i s generoufly ftipulated for the fecurity o f the
gallant Rajab. Tippoo Sultan grew irritated to a degree of
phrenzy at the demand, and broke off the adtual negotiation
with our Genera], who began to renew hoftilities. Tippoo, finding
a reludtance in his troops to defend the capital, was compelled
to accept the dictated terms t, and the laurels o f humanity
and fidelity added new glories to the head o f the conqueror.
T h is account I have feledted from the curious relation o f
th e Myfore campaigns, b y Major Dirom: that o f the natural
face o f th e Coorga country ihall be delivered in his own
words
T his little dominion “ affords not on ly th e Sandal, and moil
valuable woods in India, but teems alfo w ith the fpontaneous
productions o f all the richeft fpiees o f the Eaft. Enjo yin g a
• D irom , p. 97. t P- P- 238, 245. J lime, p. 95.
“ fertile
u fertile foil and temperate climate, this mountainous country is
« a fund o f wealth, that requires wily peace and commerce to
“ render inexhauftible. It is a beautiful fcene to contemplate;
“ a delightful journey to the traveller ; but a moft arduous
“ march, and formidable barrier to an invading army.”
F rom Gape Comorin I take my departure for the ill and o f Isle or Cal-
Ceylon, the neareft part of which, the ifle o f Calpentyn, is about PEKTYN'
a hundred and fifty miles diftant. The intervening fea is the
gulph of Manaar, which grows narrower and narrower till it
reaches the fragments of the prior junction with the continent,
of which Cape Koiel, a large promontory of the Marawars, and
various rocks, are parts. The Cape will be defcribed in my
progrefs from Gape Comorin along the eaftern coafts o f Hm-
doojlan.
Be fo r e Cape Koiel is the infula-folis of Pliny, lib. vi. 22, the Ramana Koiel.
ifle o i Ramana Koiel, or the ifle o f the temple of the god
Rama, founded near the edge o f the water, and on vaft ftones,
to break the force o f that element. Rama had a right to a
temple oppofite to Ceylon, for he killed the giant Ravanen, king
o f that ifland, and placed his brother, Viboucbanen, on the
throne, Rama tvas highly venerated in this country. The
capital o f the Marawars, and the refidence of the prince, was
named, in honor of the deity, Ramana-dabaram. The paffage
between this ifland and the continent is called Odioroa paflage.
It is extremely Ihort, about five miles broad, and not exceeding
in depth three feet.
F rom the eaftern end of the ifle o i Ramana Koiel, is a chain
■of rocks which runs quite acrofs the narrow channel to the ifle
o i