a wheel or discus, from the circle performed in the swinging part of it, that terminates the annual ceremonies in honour of Siva. Williamson, in his Vade Mecum, says, "The higher classes do not engage in it, although they contribute towards the expense of, and countenance it. The initiatory ceremonies of purification, abstinence, and exercises of devotion, take place several days before the commencement of the rites, during which time the Sunnyasees, or worshippers, form themselves into parties, and wander about the streets with horns, drums, &c., making a most intolerable din. The first exhibition is that of suspension, which is performed by two posts being erected, on the top of which is placed a strong bar, from which the Sunnyasee, or worshipper, is suspended by his feet over a fire kindled beneath him, into which rosin is occasionally cast. His head is then completely enveloped in the smoke, though sufficiently high to be beyond the reach of the flame. On the following day the Sunnyasees dance and roll themselves upon the downy beds of various descriptions of prickly plants. Their next ceremony is called the Jamp Sanya, or jumping on a couch of pointed steel, which has been thus described. A bamboo scaffolding of three or four stages is erected, on which the Sunnyasees stand, tier above tier, the principal and most expert occupying the upper row, which is sometimes between twenty and thirty feet high. A kind of bedding, supported by ropes, is stretched beneath the scaffolding by a number of men. Upon the mattress are attached several bars of wood, to which are fixed very loosely, and in a position sloping forward, semicircular knives, upon which the Sunnyasees throw themselves in succession. In general the effect of the fall is to turn the knives flat upon the bedding, in which case they do no harm; but occasionally severe wounds, and even death are the consequences of this

rite. Before they take their leap, the performers cast fruits, as cocoanuts, bels, plantains, &c., among the crowd, in which there is a great scramble for them, as they are supposed to possess much virtue. Women desirous of progeny are very anxious to get these donations; and those of the first families send per→ sons to obtain and bring them for their private eating. The next is the day of the churuk, or swinging ceremony. Posts, about thirty feet in height, are erected in the suburbs of a town, across the upper part of which are loosely suspended long bamboos so as to enable them to traverse freely. To one end of the bamboo two hooks are fixed, by ropes, which are run through the fleshy parts of the back, near the shoulders. A rope is also fastened to the other end of the bamboo, which, as soon as the party who is to swing is secured to the hooks, is pulled by several men, who thus raise the other end somewhat higher than the post. They then go round with it, with considerable velocity; by which means the man at the other end describes a circle of about thirty feet in diameter. Sometimes a cloth is tied round the body and secured to the hooks, to prevent, if the flesh should be torn away, the man from being dashed to pieces; but such is frequently not the case, and the party falling is often killed on the spot. Some of these men, while swinging, amuse themselves in smoking and throwing fruit and flowers (which they take up on purpose) among the spectators. On the morning following the churuk, Siva is worshipped in the temple, and the festival is concluded. During each day of the festival, the Sunnyasees worship the sun, pouring water, flowers, &c., &c., on a clay image of the alligator, and repeating muntras," Great efforts have been made by the missionaries and the British government to put an end to these barbarous rites, and there can be little doubt that under

the influence of education they will soon become mere matter of history. CHUSAN, an extensive group of islands in China, of which the principal one, named Chusan, is situated in Lat. 30 deg. N., Long. 122 deg. 14 min. E., about ten miles from the mainland. They form part of the adjacent province. CHUTNEE, a condiment, compounded

of sweets and acids. Strips of ripe fruit, raisins, spices, sour herbs, cayenne, lemon juice, &c., are the ordinary ingredients pounded and boiled together, and then bottled for use. Chutnee is much eaten in India with curries, stews, &c. CINGALESE, natives of the interior of the island of Ceylon. CIRCARS, NORTHERN, a province in Hindostan. The boundaries of this province consist of, on the north, Orissa; east, the sea; south, the Northern Carnatic; west, the Ceded Districts, Hyderabad, Gondwana, and Orissa, from which provinces it is separated by ranges of hills. The divisions are Ganjam, Chicacole, Rajamundry, Ellore, Kondapilly, and Guntoor. The rivers are, the Goodavery and Kistna, besides many smaller rivers and streams. This province consists of a long and narrow tract on the seacoast, shut in throughout the whole length of its western boundary by ranges of wooded hills. The soil along the coast is chiefly sandy, but, inland it improves, and is fertile. The climate is hot, and the air of the hills remarkably unhealthy. productions are rice, gram, wheat, and other grains in abundance; sugar, cotton, and excellent tobacco. Large quantities of salt are manufactured, and exported, and the forests produce teak of a large size. The different Circars, and their principal towns, will be separately noticed.

The

COBRA CAPELLA, the hoodedsnake of the East. There is not, it is said, much difficulty in extracting the poison of the serpent, which is

contained in a very small reservoir, running along the palate of the mouth and passing out at each fang. The natives of India are supposed to be very dexterous in forcing their captives to eject this venom, and are then enabled to handle them without the least danger. Some persons, however, well acquainted with the habits of snake-charmers, deny that they extract the poison, and attribute the impunity with which they handle these dangerous reptiles to their accurate knowledge of the temper and disposition of the animal, and their ready method of soothing down irritation. The natives boast the possession of various antidotes to the bite of a snake, and often pretend to have imbibed the venom and effected a cure. There is an Indian plant which goes by the name of choudraca, in which considerable confidence is placed; and arsenic, which enters very largely into the composition of the celebrated Tanjore pill, is often employed as a counteracting power. Volatile alkalies are most generally tried by European practitioners, and very often prove successful; but the 119 different degrees of strength in the venom of snakes render it doubtful whether, in the worst cases, they would have any beneficial effect. Some medical men aver, that the bite of a cobra capella in full vigour, and in possession of all its poisonous qualities, is as surely fatal as a pistol-ball; and that it is only when this poison is weakened by expenditure that medicine can be of any avail.

COCHIN (Koochee) is upon the Malabar coast, in the province of Travancore, in Lat. 9 deg. 51 min. N., Long. 76 deg. 17 min. E. In the year 1503, the celebrated Portuguese admiral, Albuquerque, obtained the permission of the rajah to erect a fort at this place, which was the first possessed by any European nation in India, In 1663, it was taken by the Dutch, under whose government it became a very flourishing town,

having an extensive commerce with Arabia, and other countries. It came under the dominion of the English in 1795, and still has a considerable traffic with other parts of India, and also with Arabia, China, and the Eastern Islands. Ship-building is likewise carried on here. About a mile distant from Cochin is a small town, called Muttacherry, inhabited by Jews.

COCHIN CHINA. This country occupies the south-eastern corner of Asia, being bounded on the north by a range of mountains dividing it from China; east, by the Chinese Sea; south, by the Malayan Sea; west, by the Gulf of Siam, and a range of mountains separating it from Siam. Its divisions or provinces are Tunquin, Cochin China, Cambodia, and Siampa. Few countries are better supplied with water than Tunquin and the lower parts of Cochin China. In the first there are more than fifty rivers which flow into the sea. The principal are the Dounai or Tunquin river, and the Cambodia. The Dounai is said to have its source in the province of Yoonan in China, and receiving the addition of many others in its course, traverses nearly the whole extent of the kingdom, falling into the sea near Saigong, in Lat. 10 deg. 47 min. N. The Cambodia is also said to rise in the same province, and flows southerly into the sea in about Lat. 10 deg. N., after a course of about 1500 miles, the greater part of which is navigable for boats. This is one of the largest rivers in Asia. This country may be described in general terms as consisting of long and well watered valleys, lying between two principal ranges of mountains running from north to south; the one on its western, the other towards its eastern side, besides other ranges traversing it from west to east. Taken altogether this is one of the most fertile countries in this quarter of the world, and abounds with valuable productions,

such as rice in abundance, sugar, cotton, silk, tobacco, betel, indigo, cinnamon, pepper, ivory, and wax. A coarse kind of tea is also extensively cultivated. The forests are well supplied with teak, ebony, cedar, and various other woods, and they also yield stick-lac and gamboge; which latter article derives its English name from a corruption of that of its native district, Cambodia. Mulberry trees abound, and supply food for the silk-worm. Iron ore is found in great purity, and it is said that there are also mines of silver and tin. Gold is procured in most of the rivers and mountainstreams, and salt and saltpetre are plentiful. The animals are in general the same as are found in India, with the exception of sheep, asses, and camels, which are not common to this country. The flesh of the elephant is used for food. There are numerous towns, particularly in Tunquin, the principal of which are Cachao, the capital of Tunquin ; Quinnong, Hue, and Saigon, in Cochin China; and Parompin, in Cambodia ; all sea ports. The capital of the kingdom is Hue-foo, or Hue, the word "foo" meaning city. It is situated on a river of the same name, about ten miles from its mouth, in Lat. 16 deg. 19 min. N., Long. 107 deg. 12 min. E., strongly fortified and armed, and containing about 40,000 inhabitants. The derivations and meaning of the word "Cochin," applied to this country, are known; amongst themselves, each province retains its distinct name. The inhabitants, who are called by Europeans by the general appellation of Cochin Chinese, are, properly speaking, composed of two divisions, the Anams and Quantos. The Anams are of Chinese origin, and include Tunquinese, Cochin Chinese, Cambodians, and Sianipese. The Quantos, who inhabit the mountainous districts, are the original natives, who were expelled from the low country on its being colonised by

not

the Chinese. In appearance and manners the Anams resemble the Chinese, from whom they are descended. They are accustomed to redden their lips, and stain their teeth black, considering white teeth to be fit only for dogs. Though remarkably indolent, they are a clever and ingenious people, and particularly skilful in ship and boat building. They have foundries for casting cannon, and manufactories of ammunition, as also of cotton and silk cloths, paper, brass and ironware, &c.; but they have not yet been able to supply themselves with muskets, which they still import from Europe and America. The total population is estimated at about 5,000,000. The religion of this country is a branch of the Booddhist system, though some of the mountain tribes are said still to follow the ancient idolatry, and to worship the tiger and dog. The Romish religion was introduced by the Portuguese about the beginning of the 17th century, and subsequently carried on by French missionaries, and notwithstanding repeated and violent persecutions, it has made great progress; as, according to the statements of the French missionaries, there are throughout the kingdom as many as 350,000 persons professing their religion. The general language is the Anam, which is of Chinese origin, though now so far changed as to be distinct. The character remains the same as the Chinese, and is written the same way. The Quantos have a distinct language of their own, which they write on leaves with an iron style. On the sea coast the people usually carry on their intercourse with foreigners in a very corrupt sort of Portuguese. Printing with wooden blocks is practised, but books are not numerous, nor do the Cochin Chinese possess any works of value, either in history or science.

COCOA-NUT. The cocoa-nut tree abounds in the Peninsula of India,

F

the coast of Burmah, and the west, north, and east parts of the island of Ceylon. It is a tree of immense value to the people, and to its possessors. The tree begins to bear when eight or nine years of age. Nearly all the domestic wants of the Hindoo and the Cingalese can be supplied by the cocoa-nut tree. He can build his house entirely of it. The walls and doors are made of cajans (the leaves plaited), the roof is covered with the same, the beams, rafters, &c., are made of the trunk. The builder needs no nails, as he can use the coir rope made from the outside husk. If he wants a spout, he hollows the trunk, split in two. It also supplies him with spoons, ladles, and cups, pans and drinking vessels, hookah bowls, lamps, and water buckets; the refuse of the kernel, after the oil is expressed, serves for food for fowls and pigs; the milk from the kernel is used in his food. In short, if a man has a few cocoanut trees in his garden, he will never starve. Arrack, a strong spirit, resembling whiskey, is made from toddy, the juice of the flower; and brooms are made from the ribs of the leaflets.

COCOS. The Cocos, or Keeling Islands, are ten or twelve in number, connected, with the exception of one, by coral reefs, and therefore accessible to the inhabitants, without boats, when the tide falls; one, however, is surrounded by deep water. These islands extend from Lat. 12 deg. 4 min. to 12 deg. 14 min. S., Long. 97 deg. 4 min. E. On the western side of the chain they are, from their peculiar conformation, a half-circle, supposed to have been of volcanic origin, the coral insect carrying up the work to the surface. The tradewind blows constantly with more or less strength, varying occasionally between S. and E.N.E., the current usually sets to the north-westward, from one to one and a half miles per hour. This current is continually bringing drifts of various kinds,

sea-weed, floating timber, with all its accumulations of seeds, and still stranger products, which, by the unerring laws of nature, are directed to spots where they are eminently useful in creating vegetation. The coral chain of islands, or rather wall, which forms the harbour, named Port Albion, is only from three to fourteen feet in elevation above the sea at high water, or spring-tides; but the greater number of the islands, in consequence of the drift before mentioned, are covered with coco and two other trees, one a sort of white spongy wood, and the other a species of iron wood.

COEL, in India, in Lat. 27 deg. 54 min. N., Long. 78 deg. E., is two miles from the fortress of Aligurh, with which it is connected by a fine avenue of trees. It is a large busy town, and the principal civil station of the district. COIMBATORE, a province in India,

is bounded on the north by Mysore, Salem; east, Salem, Southern Carnatic; south, Southern Carnatic,Travancore, Malabar; west, Malabar. Its principal divisions are the districts of Suttimunglum, Coimbatore, Caroor, and Darapoorum. The rivers are the Cavery, Bhoowani, Amravutti, and smaller streams. This is an elevated district, especially towards the north and west, much diversified with hill and dale, forest and open country, generally fertile, and well cultivated. The soil for the most part is dry; but in the vicinity of the hills, and also in some of the southern parts, there is much low marshy ground. In the district of Coimbatore, along the western frontier, are the Neilgherry mountains. The chief articles of produce are cotton, rice, and tobacco. The province also yields abundance of muriatic and common salts, nitre, and iron. principal towns are Suttimunglum, Bhoowani, Coimbatore, Caroor, and Darapoorum. The inhabitants of these hills are of four classes-Toders, Koters, Burgers, and Kurrumbers.

The

The Toders are the aborigines and lords of the soil, which, however, they do not cultivate, restricting themselves to pasturing cattle. They are quite distinct in language and religion from the Hindoos, and, though a fine-looking race, often fair, and generally of good size and figure, are in a very rude and ignorant state. They are not numerous, not exceeding more than five or six hundred. The Koters appear to be nearly of the same description as the Toders, but occupy themselves as artisans, chiefly in the manufacture of coarse iron tools. The Burgers are the cultivators of the land, which they hold under tribute to the Toders. They are of Hindoo origin, and speak the Kanarese language. They are estimated at between six and seven thousand. The Kurrumbers are a very wretched race, black and small, inhabiting the jungles upon the skirt of the hills, in number not more than a few hundred. These hills produce barley and other dry grains, and very fine vegetables and fruits. The animals are black cattle and buffaloes, a species of sheep, wild elk, bears, and tigers. proper appellation of these hills is the "Neelagiri," from neela, blue, and giri, hill or mountain. The inhabitants of this province are chiefly Hindoos, there being few Mahomedan families to be found. The total population is estimated at about 700,000.

The

COIMBATORE, the capital of the province of Coimbatore, is situated in Lat. 10 deg. 52 min. N., Long. 77 deg. 5 min. E. This was formerly one of the principal military stations of Tippoo Sultaun. It has a musjid, which was built by him; and at Penura, two miles distant, is a celebrated Hindoo temple, called Mail Chittumbra. Some time since an ancient tumulus, or mound, was dug open near this place, which on examination was found to contain various weapons and other articles, such as were formerly used by the Romans.