by Capt. Drummond; but I cannot reconcile its fituation to that parallel; as it cannot well be fo near to Paniany. I have placed it in 10° 33′ 15′′.

Mangalore is the next place to Mount Dilla, in Capt. Huddart's table, and its longitude given is 74° 44'; lat. 12° 50. For about 5 leagues to the N W of Mount Dilla, the form of the coast is taken from a French map in Mr. Dalrymple's collection; the rest of the coaft, to Mangalore, and from thence to Coondapour (or Baffelore) in lat. 13° 36', is little known as to particulars. A large river named Cangerecora, whose courfe is from the north-east, falls in about 4 miles to the north of Mount Dilla; previous to which, its courfe is parallel with the fea coaft for about 11 miles, being feparated only by a fpit of fand. The forts of Nelifuram, Ramdilly, and Matteloy are fituated on this river, which is joined by feveral other rivers, or ftreams, that defcend from the Gaut Mountains; which, in this part, approach within 22 miles of the coaft, I can not help confidering this Nelifuram, which is fituated about 12 miles up the river, as the place meant by Nelcynda and Melcynda, by Pliny and Ptolemy; a place vifited by the Egyptian and Roman ships,) unholmer 41

is.

We have been lately brought acquainted with the particulars of the coaft, between Barcelore and Meerzaw (or Merjee) by means of a map drawn by Lieut. Reynolds, during the war which termi, nated fo unfortunately for the British arms in 1783, in the Bednore country to which this part of the coaft is oppofite. This map drawn in a most masterly ftyle, and contains near 60 G. miles of the coaft; and extends inland to the foot of the Gauts, which here, approach in fome places within 6 miles of the fea, and are never more than 20 from it. It includes the pofitions of Bednore and Bilghey within the Gauts; and alfo, Onore, Batcole, and Coom tah on the coast. We are furnished with the means of joining this portion of geography to the rest, by having the longitude of Pigeon Island determined by Capt. Huddart; and by the pofition of it in

respect

refpect of Fortified Island, near Onore. Pigeon ifland is very small, and lies about 8 G. miles from the coast, and 15 from Onore *, and is in lat. 14° 1. Its longitude is 74° 6′ 30′′.

From Meerzaw, to Cape Ramas in the neighbourhood of Goa, we are but ill informed concerning the particulars of the coaft. Bei tween thefe, are fituated the port of Carwar, and the islands of Angedive, both of them better known to the English in the early period of their India trade, and before they were in poffeffion of Bombay. Capt. Huddart fixed the longitude of Oifter Rock in the mouth of Carwar Bay, and alfo that of the Aguada Point and castle, on the north fide of the entrance of Goa Bay, or road. This he makes to be in 72° 34′ 30′′; and it is worthy of observation, that the city of Goa, which is 11′ 15′′ more to the eastward, and confequently in 72° 45′ 45′′ by the fame account, was placed in the fame pofition within a fraction of a minute, by the observation in the Con. de Temps; and which, for want of being better informed, I formerly difregarded. The pofitions of Cape Ramas, Angedive, and Carwar Points, are corrected in respect of Aguada, by a set of observations and bearings of the late Capt. Howe, whose attention to marine science, was equal to his gallantry, and knowledge of the practical part of his profeflion. I have had occafion repeatedly to acknowledge the aids I have been furnished with, by means of his collection of Obfervations and Remarks, in the poffeffion of Mr. Dalrymple.

The figure of the island of Goa, and its environs, to the foot of the Gauts, is taken from a Portuguese MS. map of Mr. Dalrymple's.. The latitude of Goa, and of the Aguada Castle, is 15° 28′ 20′′.

Goa, the capital of the Portuguese fettlements in India, and the feat of a Viceroy, is a very confiderable city. It was first taken poffeffion of by Albuquerque in 1510, and from a Prince of Saracen extractior, according to Jarric.

When Fortified Inland bore EN diftant 2 miles, Pigeon Ifland bore SW, and Hog Hand SSE. Hog Inland bears from Pigeon Ifland E 4S didant about 7 miles.

The

The coaft between Goa and Bombay, near 220 G. miles, is little known to us in detail, nor indeed was the general bearing of it known, until Capt. Huddart furnished us with his feries of longitudes. By his account it appears, that this coaft, although in the neighbourhood of our principal marine station and arfenal in India, was defcribed in the charts, with an error of very near a whole point of the compafs, in bearing. Indeed the whole western coaft of India has far too great an obliquity from the north towards the weft, in all the former charts; my own not excepted. Mr. Dalrymple accounted very rationally for it, by bringing to our recollection the great quantity of wefterly variation of the needle, that prevailed here, during the time of our first voyagers; and which is now reduced to lefs than 2 degrees. It is well known that it was a long time before the true north was difcriminated in charts; and the original idea of the direction of this coaft, was tranfmitted down to our days.

Perhaps there are few coafts fo much broken into small bays and harbours, and that at the fame time have fo ftraight a general outline. This multitude of fmall ports, uninterrupted view along fhore, and elevated coaft, favourable to diftant vifion, have fitted this coaft for the feat of piracy; and the alternate land and fea breezes that prevail during a great part of the year, oblige veffels to navigate very near the thore. No wonder then, that Pliny fhould notice them in his time as committing depredations on the Roman Eaft India trade; and although a temporary check has been given them, in the destruction of Angria's fleets, &c. yet we may expect that they will continue the practice while commerce lafts. They are protected by the fhallowness of their ports, and the strength of the country within. As pirates, they have greater natural advan tages than those of Barbary, who being compelled to roam far from their coafts, have expensive outfets; here the prizes come to their own doors; and the cruifers may lie fecure in port, until the prey is difcovered.

The

The Vingorla Rocks in lat. 15° 52′ 30" Capt. Huddart took the longitude of, next to Goa, and made it 73° 16′ 30′′. These rocks lie about 6 or 7 miles off shore, of which we know but few particulars, farther than that it is poffeffed by a piratical tribe named Malwaans. The principal ports hereabouts are Melundy or Sunderdoo, a fortified island about 10 miles to the N E by N of Vingorla Rocks, and reduced by Commodore James in 1765: alfo Rairee, Vingorla, and Newtya: which laft I cannot help thinking, is the Nitrias of Pliny, near which the pirates cruifed for the Roman fhips.

:

1

A Dutch MS. chart affifted me in drawing the coaft between Melundy and Antigherrya, an extent of about 70 G. miles. This chart was procured by Sir Jofeph Banks for Mr. Dalrymple: and the tract comprised within it, contains the ports of Dewgur, Tamanah, Rajapour, Rampa, Antigherrya, and alfo Gheriah, late the capital and principal port of Angria. This place was found by Capt. Huddart to be in lon. 73° 81; and its latitude is 16° 37′. Between Antigherrya and Bombay, are the ports and islands of Zivagee, Dabul, Severndroog, Fort Victoria (or Bancoote) Sufferdam, Danda-Rajapour, Choule and Coolabba. At Victoria, the longitude was found to be 72° 54′ : latitude 17° 59′. The latitudes alone of several of thefe places, helped me to fettle their pofitions, as the coaft is nearly meridional; but I hardly expect to be free from mistakes, in fixing such a number of places, within fo confined a space, and with fo few aids.

72.

1

Bombay, the principal port and fettlement of the English in this quarter, is fituated in lat. 18° 58', longitude by Mr. Howe's obfervation 38. I have placed it in 479.40′, or 2 minutes farther to the eaft, which was occafioned originally by a mistake, and which would have coft too much time to rectify, had I attempted it. Bombay is a small island, fcarcely more than 7 miles in length, and very narrow, containing a very strong and capacious fortrefs, a large city, and a dock-yard, and marine arfenal. It was ceded to the

English

English in 1662, by the Portuguese, as part of the dower of the Queen of Charles II. On the NE it is feparated by a narrow ftrait, from Salfette, a fine island of about 15 miles fquare, and an acquifition from the Marattas in 1773. Bombay, Salfette, and the neighbouring shores of the Continent, form a large sound, in which are several other islands, particularly Caranjah and Elephanta, the latter famous for its fubterraneous temple, and both of them acquifitions from the Marattas.

Salfette also has its fubterraneous temples, cut out of the live rock all of which appear to be the monuments of a superstition anterior to that of the Hindoos *.

Baffeen, a city and fortress of note, is fituated on the point of the Continent oppofite to the north end of Salfette. This place fell into the hands of the English, after a smart siege in 1780, but was restored to the Marattas, together with all the other conquests made on that fide of India, at the peace of 1783, Salfette and the fmall islands excepted. Baffeen is fituated in lat. 19° 19′, and under the fame meridian as Bombay, as appears by the maps of that island and Salfette.

From Baffeen to Surat, the furveyor with General Goddard's army, drew a measured line (as I am informed) and the refult gave 9,5 G. miles of easting, or 10' of longitude, for the difference between Baffeen and Surat; by which the latter fhould be in lon. 72° 50'. The difference of latitude N from Baffeen, was found to be 52', which added to 19° 19', gives 21° 11' for that of Surat. It is placed in 21° 10′ 30′′.

It is a great misfortune to geography that no one observation of longitude should have been taken, on the weft of Bombay: by which default, we are precluded from correcting an extent of 7 degrees of longitude, along a coaft that winds in fuch a variety of

* At Elora near Dowlatabad, more than 200 miles to the east of Salfette, are other temples of the fame kind. For an account of thefe, fee Thevenot: and for the former, Anque il du Perron.

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