are good, some tiled, others thatched, and the site of the whole is on ground sufficiently elevated in all respects for the purposes of health. The lines of the pensioners resident at Dindigul extend along the road which connects the roads from Trichinopoly and Caroor, running directly east and west. These lines consist of good thatched houses, and are kept in very neat order. A small watercourse which runs along the south side of the road, leading from the eastern entrance, passes under two small bridges on the north side of the road, and S. E. of the pagoda, which is situated about the centre of the main street on its northern side; it there runs by the western wall of the same, and receives the surplus waters of a piece of marshy ground at the west end of the town, afterwards conducted into the Typakallum Tank below the rock on its north side; it is, however, only useful during the rains, or occasional heavy showers which often take place-at other times it becomes choked up with filth. The soil in the immediate vicinity of Dindigul is either a rich red silicious and argillaceous earth of three or four feet deep, laying upon gneiss rock, or a light red earth, over which stones are abundantly scattered; the latter predominates, and is favourable to the growth of castor oil and dry grain. The quantity of rice ground is very limited, and quite inadequate to the consumption of the inhabitants, who depend on a supply from the neighbouring country. In seasons of scarcity it is imported from Trichinopoly, Caroor, and Paulghaut Cherry.

The winds, generally speaking, correspond with those in other parts of the Peninsula ; and this district, from its central situation, receives a supply of rain not only from both monsoons, but, from its vicinity to the mountains, it receives irregular supplies of water from the showers which accompany the frequent thunder storms that occur, and give purity and freshness to the atmosphere. In April and May it is very hot, both day and night; though not perhaps so hot as at Madura and Trichinopoly. Thunder storms, heavy rains, and winds, are frequent ;-bilious complaints prevail at this time. In June and July the heat during the day is excessive, but the nights are more cool-the wind is from the S. W.; but sometimes from the S. E. misty clouds are observed on the mountain tops to the south and west, the contents of which sometimes reach the valley, while the mountain breezes cool the air. August and September are still more cool; the wind is from the S. W. during the most part, but towards the end of September it becomes variable, veering round to the north. In October and November the N. E. monsoon commences, and the principal fall of rain takes place; but it is not

so great at Dindigul as at many other places farther north, and nearer to the coast. These eight months are considered healthy. During December and January the dews are heavy, and rain falls in the early part of December. In February and March the winds are cold, and the dews are also heavy; and these months are considered by the natives as the most unhealthy months in the year, when catarrhal and pulmonary complaints are most common. The ther mometer during the year is seldom higher than 98°, or lower than 58°.

The climate of Dindigul has generally been considered one of the most salubrious in the country; but, in the year 1810, a most malignant epidemic fever raged generally throughout all the southern provinces, and occasioned great mortality; to such a degree, indeed, that Dindigul ceased to be a military station from that time to 1813, since which time a native regiment has usually been stationed there. The endemic of the country is fever, of so very irregular a type that it is difficult to classify it, as it partakes of all types, remittent, intermittent, and continued, but is easily checked if attended to in time, and treated with evacuents in the first instance, and afterwards by the quinine, which will be spoken of hereafter. Guinea worm is common in hot weather, and foul ulcers on the legs and feet in the wet weather. Ophthalmia is also a common disease in this country, during July and August, and small-pox is not uncommon; but syphilis is very rare.

It does not appear that the district has been visited by any very fatal epidemic since 1810, till the year 1833 and 1834, when sickness and mortality increased to a greater extent than in the preceding years; but by no means equal to that which occurred in 1810, 1811, &c. This was supposed to arise not only from peculiar seasons, but from dearth and famine; and the fatal diseases during this period, were from cholera, fever, and small-pox: the first of these have been particularly striking in 1833—no less than 5585 of the inhabitants, or about half of the total number of souls, were attacked with cholera, more than one-half of whom died. In 1834 the number assailed with it was only 2518, or about ths of the whole sick, of which rather less than half died. The fevers amounted to 4762, of which rather more than one-fifth died. In 1834 the number did not exceed 4593, of which upwards of one-fourth proved fatal. With regard to the small-pox, it is deserving of remark that this malady was more prevalent in 1834 than in 1833: in the former year not less were attacked than 3230 and one-third died; while in the latter the number attacked only amounted to 2074, of which one-fifth died. On contrasting the

ravages of small-pox and cholera, it will be seen that the latter has been much more prevalent and fatal. Dindigul possesses much natural beauty, and as a station (except under the particular circumstances already noticed) was always considered remarkably healthy. Madura.-The fort or city of Madura is about 314 miles in circumference, situated in lat. 9° 52′ N., and long. 78° 8' E. on the south bank of the river Vayarao, nearly equi-distant about 70 miles from the western range of mountains and the sea, and partakes of both monsoons, but more of the N.E. than the S.W.; its population is between 25,000 and 28,000 inhabitants. The site is low, compared with the adjoining country, and surrounded by a ditch, which, with several tanks in the fort, are filled from the river; and there are in the immediate vicinity of the fort large tanks, and rice fields supplied with water also from the river.

The climate of the province of Madura differs from that of Dindigul only in being more open and not so mountainous, though there are mountains at no very considerable distance, and some marshy tracts and jungle, which must have some influence on the climate; on the whole, however, the province of Madura may be said to be in general healthy, though, under peculiar circumstances of excessive moisture after great droughts, epidemics have raged in these provinces to a great extent, and particularly in the Fort of Madura, which would lead to the belief that the health of this town may be influenced by local causes.

The streets of Madura are narrow, filled with dirt and rubbish. The ancient drains, from long neglect, are choked up, and rain water is suffered to stand stagnant in pools every where. The streets are crowded with trees of different kinds, chiefly the Palmyra and cocoa-nut trees, and thousands of cattle are kept within the walls of the fort; nor is there any regard to cleansing the various descriptions of filth which are allowed to accumulate.

The houses of the poorest class of the inhabitants, by far the largest proportion of the population of the fort, are of the very worst description of hut, and occupy the smallest portion of space in the S.E. quarter in the neighbourhood of the old palace, where a dense mass of people, and in small houses, have congregated, and where all the cattle are kept, while the N.W. and S.W. quarter of the fort are but very thinly inhabited; and it is in that quarter, i.e. S.E. and amongst that particular class of people, where sickness generally prevails and where there is most mortality.

It is well known that the fort or town of Madura has at various times been subject to visitations of fever, generally imputed to wet

and moist seasons following great drought. In 1800 fever prevailed, and from 300 to 400 died monthly. In 1809 a similar fever prevailed, and 2600 persons died. In 1810 there was a more formidable invasion of fever, and 12,500 died between the 1st of March 1810, and the 31st of March 1811, in the Fort of Madura and neighbouring villages; but in this year a general epidemic prevailed over the whole southern provinces, and the mortality was chiefly among the poorest class of people, while the higher orders of society, who lived in elevated houses of brick and chunam, and slept on couches, were comparatively free from the disease; this would imply that the great mortality among the poor was increased from the want of those comforts which the better orders enjoyed; and this is confirmed by the fact, that few of the weavers and still fewer of the Mussulmans were carried off.

In the S.W. quarter of the fort, a numerous and respectable class of Lubbahs reside, and live in good brick houses and raised floors, and sleep on couches. They were attacked with fever, but few, if indeed any, died. The Pallah prisoners, about 300 or 400 in number, have been almost wholly exempt from fever, supposed to arise from their inhabiting a substantial brick and chunam building on an elevated floor, and being well fed.

The sepoys, about 200 men, were attacked very generally with fever, but not one died. This was attributed to their being in a more robust state of body, better fed, clothed and lodged, having every comfort in hospital and prompt medical attendance.

Palamcottah is situated in the province of Tinnevelly, in lat. 8° 43′ N. and long. 77° 49′ E., bearing from Madras S. 30° W. and distant about 300 miles. The fort, which is built on a rocky eminence, is situated on an extensive plain, studded with several small rounded stony hills, the boundaries of which are to the westward. The Travancore mountains running almost due south, and distant about fifteen miles, between which and the Fort is the Palamcottah river; on the eastern side the sea coast distant about thirty miles; on the south, the plain extends to Cape Comorin, distant about fifty miles, and the elevation is about 100 or 120 feet above the level of the sea. The fort is an exact square, measuring 1000 yards on each face, and surrounded by two walls, the inner about thirty-five feet high, and the outer about eighteen; there is no ditch between them; and the number of native inhabitants residing within the fort is, according to a census taken in 1835, about 10,000. Their habitations occupy better than one half of the enclosed ground, the remaining portion being appropriated to a parade

ground, a few public offices, and the dwelling houses of the European officers of the native regiment stationed there; the native houses are small, mostly built with mud walls, and covered with bamboo and the leaves of the Palmyra tree; they are generally very much crowded together, and in narrow streets; but on the whole the fort is tolerably clean, and the inhabitants healthy. Their diet consists for the most part of rice, with small portions of animal food, fish and vegetables. The water generally used is drawn from wells, which are numerous in the fort, and copiously supplied with water, at a depth of about twelve or fourteen feet below the surface in the dry season, and considerably less during the wet. The rise of water in the course of twelve hours after drawing, is about two fect; the water in some of the wells contains a considerable portion of saline matter, and in some is almost brackish; but it does not appear to affect the health of the natives who drink it. The richer class, however, furnish themselves with water either from the river, which is about two miles distant from the fort to the westward, or from a mountain stream which runs nearly parallel with the river, only 200 yards from the fort; but this stream is dried up for six mouths in the year, as it depends on the quantity of rain which falls in the neighbouring mountains. There is, however, one well about 150 yards outside the fort; the water of which is considered the purest, and is used by all Europeans resident at the station. The native population of the country appear equal in physical strength and health to the inhabitants of any other part of the Carnatic.

The surrounding country is generally laid out in rice grounds, more especially on the western side and on the banks of the river, where its low situation will admit easily of irrigation; the same remark will apply to the north side: but on the east and south the ground is higher, and supplied with water from shallow tanks, the supply of which is soon exhausted; consequently it is better adapted for cotton or dry grain, for which purpose it is chiefly used; and to the southern and eastern extremity of this province there are many salt marshes, some of which are joined together, and form one great marsh of about ten miles in circumference; separated from the sea by high sand hills, which have no natural communication with it, and lay at unequal distances of from four to thirteen miles. The general character of the rock with which this country abounds is granitic-some hard, close-grained, and permanent, under exposure to the atmosphere, but generally it is loose-grained, and mouldering, composed of quartz, hornblend, and felspar, scaling off in their lamina, which are soon reduced by the disintegration of the