the point at the mouth of the Pennar river, and make it lefs prominent; as the distance from Nellore to the nearest sea coast, would otherwise have been much too great.* Indeed, it was not expected that by sailing along a flat coast, nearly straight, without landmarks, every small bending of the coast could be ascertained. It is proper to remark, that the whole difference of longitude between Calcutta and Madras, in M. D'Anville's and D'Apres maps, comes within a few miles of the truth, as they were in possession of the observations taken at Ghyretty and Pondicherry: but their maps are exceedingly faulty in the detail. The longitude of Madras, or Fort St. George, as was said before, (page 9) is taken at 80° 25′: and its latitude is 13° 5'. Pondicherry, by a series of triangles obtained by means of the Jaghire map, Wandiwash Hill, Permacoil, the Red Hills, and the difference of latitude, I make to be 25′ of longitude, west of Madras; so that Pondicherry will be in 80° just. The mean of the different observations taken there, is 79° 55' 40". Mr. Pringle, who measured the routes of Sir Eyre Coote's army, during the late war, makes the difference of meridians the same as I do, to a fraction. Its latitude is 11° 56'. $2,7 Cuddalore, in lat. 11° 41′ and lon. 79° 45′ 45", is the most southern point, determined by Mr. Pringle's measured routes: but the same gentleman furnishes us with the bearing of Portonovo from that place; which, with its latitude 11° 30', allows us to place it, almost to a certainty, in lon. 79° 53′ 30′′. The position of Chillambrum Pagoda, in respect of Portonovo, although so conspicuous an object to the sight, is variously represented. By the mean of what appeared to me to be the best authorities, I have placed it south-west 7 G. miles from Porto • I have allowed Point Pennar to be 16 G. miles to the east of Nellore: most of the MS. maps make it less. + Con. de Temps Topping 79° 57' 79 53 Mean 79° 55′ 40′′. novo. Mr. Barker determined its position with respect to Devicotta, by a measured base, to be W 16° 45′ N 8 G. miles; which added to the former line from Portonovo, gives 79° 55′ for the longitude of Devicotta. Its latitude appears to be 11° 21′. Most maps allow a much greater distance between Portonovo and Devicotta, than what arises from the above construction; which is G. miles on a SSE bearing: and the foundation of the error appears to me to be the giving the bearing of Devicotta from Chillambrum, too great a degree a southing. 9 From Devicotta, southward to Negapatam, my authorities are some MS. maps; among which, is one, drawn by M. D'Anville, containing the principal positions between Madras and Tanjore; and seems intended for the basis of a map of the south Carnatic. Had M. D'Anville's differed from the others, I should have been inclined to give the preference to the result of his investigations; but it happens that all the different maps I have consulted, differ so little among themselves, that none make the difference of longitude between Devicotta and Negapatam more than 1′ 45′′; and the mean of the whole is 1' 15" east; so that Negapatam may be taken at 79° 56′ 35′′ lon. ; and latitude 10° 46'. Thus Negapatam appears to be 3' 25" west of Pondicherry, or 28′ 25′′ from Madras; and whatever error there may be, must arise chiefly between Devicotta and Negapatam. If there be any, any, the different geographers and map-makers have all fallen into the same kind of error. I observe that the different maps made of late years, in India, have considered Negapatam as being in lon. 79° 53' to 79° 54'. I know not whence the idea is taken; but, whether founded or not, it differs but little from mine. Negapatam is the southmost point, on the eastern side of the peninsula, whose position can be reckoned tolerably exact; unless we except Point Calymere, whose bearing being pretty well known from Negapatam, and its latitude determined with precision; may be considered as being nearly as well ascertained as Negapatam, on which it depends. Its latitude is 10° 20'; and longitude 79° 54′ 30′′. No connected measured line that can be depended on, has yet been carried across the peninsula ; Col. Fullarton's marches, measured by Col. Kelly, extending only to Palicaudcherry; that is, not within 50 G. miles of the coast of Malabar: and those extended southward, through Madura and Tinevelly, ending at Cape Comorin. Fortunately, however, we have a series of longitudes by a time-keeper, deduced from Bombay, by Capt. Huddart, and extended at intervals, along the whole coast, to Anjenga; of which, more will be said hereafter. Col. Fullarton's march into the southern countries of the Carnatic, gave an opportunity of measuring the distances, and ascertaining the relative positions of Tanjore, Tritchinopoly, Madura, Coimbettore, Palicaudcherry, &c. in respect of Negapatam, where the march commenced. The plan of these marches communicated to me from the East-India House, bears the name of Col. Kelly; and is declared to be actually measured, through the points abovementioned. We have to regret that the same attention was not bestowed in the march from Calicut to Palicaudcherry; the intended point of junction of the Bombay detachment, with that of Col. Fullarton: for, in that case, the exact width of the peninsula, had been no longer a matter of inquiry. Tritchinopoly comes out, by the above map of Col. Kelly's, to be 1° 10' of longitude west from Negapatam; which taken from 75° 56′ 35′′, leaves 78° 46′ 35′′ for the longitude of Tritchinopoly.* The latitude is 10° 49.' Madura, by the same authority, is 34' difference of longitude west from Tritchinopoly; that is, in lon. 78° 12′ 35′′. Here it must be noted, that great discordance arises between the different accounts * A map, drawn by Baron Wersebe (of the Hanoverian corps) accords in this particular, and indeed, in every other material one, with that of Col. Kelly: but I have no knowledge how Baron W. procured his materials. of the bearing and distance between Tritchinopoly and Madura, as given by Kelly, Montresor, and others. The two former differ 1,6 G. miles only in distance; but Col. Kelly's bearing, gives 12,3 G. miles, more of westing, than Montresor's. And a third map, communicated by Mr. John Sulivan, has the same bearing with Kelly's, but exceeds it, 3,7 G. miles, in distance; thereby, increasing the westing 1,3 G. miles; and of course, exceeding Montresor's 13,6 G. miles, or 14′ 15′′ of longitude. The latitude of Madura, I have not yet learnt. Sir John Call's map places it in 9° 52′ 30′′; and Col. Kelly's difference of latitude from Tritchinopoly, 53′ 12′′, gives 9° 55′ 48′′. The authority for the remainder of this line, through Palamcotta (or Tinevelly) to Poolytopu on the sea coast, westward of Cape Comorin, is from the map of Madura and Tinevelly, made under the direction of Sir. J. Call (then Chief Engineer at Madras) and from Mr. Pringle's road distances; together with the latitudes of Palamcotta and Poolytopu. First, I find in Sir J. Call's map, 1°9′ 30′′ difference of latitude S between Madura and Palamcotta; and 18′ of longitude, west. This would place the latter in 8° 43′ (Mr. Pringle informs us, that its latitude is 8° 44′) and in lon. 77° 54′ 35′′. Then, from Palamcotta to Cotate or Cotaur, on the west of the Gauts, Sir J. Call's map gives 29′ 12′′ difference of latitude S; and 22' difference of longitude west; to which, if we add the deduction from Mr. Pringle's measured distance to Poolytopu, 5′ 30′′ difference of latitude S; and 6' difference of longitude west;* the whole difference of latitude will be 34′ 42′′ S, and difference of longitude 28' west; giving for the position of Poolytopu, lat. 8° 9′ 18′′; lon. 77° 26' 35". Poolytopu village appears to be situated on the sea coast, E NE 4 G. miles from Cadiapatam Point; which point, by Mr. Howe, The bearing between Cotate and Poolytopu, is inferred from some MS. maps of no great authority, to be about S WW. The whole distance being only 8 G. miles, the difference of longitude would be but little affected, by any error that might reasonably be expected in the bearing. is reckoned in lat. 8° 7'; and Poolytopu being about 1′ 30′′ to the N of it, should be in 8° 8' 30", according very nearly with the above calculation. It must, I think, be acknowledged, that there is nothing in this deduction, that appears forced. Poolytopu, by the best account I can get (a French MS. map in Mr. Dalrymple's collection), is 16′ of longitude west of Cape Comorin; which Cape, by this account will be in lon. 77° 42′ 35′′. We have some further light thrown on this subject by the measurement of the road, by Mr. Pringle, from Tanjore to Poolytopu. His whole road distance is 251 B. miles; and allowing 1 in 9* for the winding of the road, the horizontal distance will be 2234 B. miles, or 193 G. miles; which, on the same bearing as the above deduction is founded on (S 33° 40' W), gives difference of latitude 2° 41′ 18′′; and westing 107,4: or difference of longitude 1o 49′. As Tanjore is in 10° 46′ 30′′, the latitude of Poolytopu comes out 8° 5' 12", and its lon. 77° 23' 15" (the longitude of Tanjore, by Col. Kelly's measurement, being 79° 12′ 15′′, deduced from Negapatam) and 16' added to it, gives for the longitude of Cape Comorin 77° 39′ 15′′, or 3' 20" to the west of the first calculation. Again, if the proportion of 1 in 8 be adopted for the winding of the road (a more common one), it produces 190 G. miles of distance; and the latitude of Poolytopu will be 8° 8'; and its lon. 77° 20′ 50′′; and that of Cape Comorin 77° 36′ 50′′. This is all the satisfaction that I have been able to obtain, concerning the longitude of Cape Comorin, as deduced from the eastern side of the peninsula. Something depends on the truth of the afsumption, respecting the position of Negapatam; and still more The road from Madras to Tritchinopoly I in 9 1 in 10 1 in 9 Mean 1 in 83 1 in 8 Wandiwash 1 in 94 Arcot to Wandiwash I in 7 The distance arising on the lines of Kelly and Call is 186,25 G. miles. D |