Page:Madras Journal of Literature and Science, series 1, volume 6 (1837).djvu/147

1837.] advanced for others to be procured, I have, therefore, taken it and ordered two double catamarans to be formed for receiving the stones from the weighing boats, and two canoes. The blocks, &c. have enabled me to increase the power of our machinery, which now requires fewer hands, and has enabled us to spare what is necessary to man the extra number of boats.

30th. The boats employed as yesterday, and sixteen holes made in the rock; the boatswain was ill with fever, and his party did not perform half the usual duty. I directed they should be kept at work every day, till the regular quantity was done, and the arrears brought up. Eleven charges were fired with excellent effect—three holes had been attempted on a rock having only a few inches of thickness, and sand below; they in consequence failed.

31st. The current has been running strong from the south, with no interval of slack water. The divers could not work, but six holes were made; the men having been carried away several times I ordered the boats to return, only two charges were fired after three hours hard work. About 900 cubic feet of stone was raised, a large quantity under such circumstances. Tried the Jaffna weighing boat again, but without success, she was only saved from turning over by the prompt aid of the other boats. The stone attempted to be raised was about 2000-lb. in weight, or a quarter of what had been done by the dhonies and tackles.

The result of this month's work, is, I trust, on the whole, as much as could have been expected, from the many delays we met with in the early part of it. This place affords no facilities, the most common articles had to be procured from a great distance, and not then without the utmost exertion on the part of the people employed.

Pamban is a village of 70 families, composed entirely of boatmen and pilots, who have no other occupation than what is furnished by passing vessels through the reef, loading and discharging their cargoes. There are no artificers, and the bazar consists of a few shops for the sale of provisions only; destitute of the most common articles which are generally to be procured in every other part of the country.

Artificers we had no difficulty in procuring from other places, but, on a sudden call, it was impossible to advance the work by the addition of extra hands.

The total failure of the means provided for under-water explosions, also, was the cause of most serious inconvenience, and obliged me to alter entirely the plan of operations. Our supply of tin tubes would