Page:The Tamils Eighteen Hundred Years Ago.djvu/53

Rh ocean by observing the position of the ports and the general appearance of the sea. For at the season when the annual winds peculiar to our climate settle in the north and blow, for a continuance upon our coast from the Mediterranean, in the Indian Ocean the wind is continually from the south-west. And this wind has in these seas obtained the name of Hippalos from the pilot who first took advantage of it to make his passage to the east.

“From the period of that discovery to the present time vessels bound to India take their departure either from Kane on the Arabian or Cape Aromata on the African side; and from these points they stretch out into the open sea at once, leaving all the windings of the gulfs and bays at a distance and make for their several destinations in the coast of India; those that are intended for Limurike waiting sometime before they sail, but those that are destined for Barugaza or Skythia seldom more than three days.

“Upon leaving Ela-bakara or the Ruddy mountain the country which succeeds is under the government of Pandion: it is called Paralia (Purali) and lies almost directly north and south it reaches to Kolkhoi (Korkai) in the vicinity of the pearl-fishery and Pandion is sovereign of the whole.

“But the first port after leaving the Ruddy mountain is Balita and next to that is Komar (Kumari) which has a fort and a harbour. This place is frequented for the purpose of ablution by those who have dedicated themselves to a religious life and taken a vow of celibacy. Women as well as men are admitted into this institution; and the legend respecting it reports that a goddess in some former period practised the same ablutions once a month at the spot.

“From Komar the district extends to Kolkhi and the pearl fishery which is conducted by slaves or criminals condemned to the service; and the whole southern point of the Continent is part of Pandyan’s dominion.

“The first place that succeeds after leaving Kolkhi is the bay Argalus connected with a district inland (of the same name). Here and here only the pearls obtained in the fishery at the island of Enidorus are (allowed to be) perforated and prepared for the market, and from the same island are procured the fine muslins sprinkled with pearls.