CANARA, North. This division of Canara is situated between the thirteenth and the fifteenth degrees of northern latitude, and contains three smaller districts of Cundapoor, Onore, and Ancola. On leaving Devakara, in North Canara, commences the country of Karnataka, which extends below the Ghauts, and occupies all the defiles leading to the mountains. Here the Western Ghauts, although steep and stony, are by no means rugged or broken with rocks. On the contrary, the stones are buried in a rich mould; and the sides of the mountains are clothed with the most stately forests, in which are seen the finest bamboos and the most stately palms. There is no underwood or creepers to interrupt the passage through these woods; but they are infested with numerous tigers, and the climate is very unhealthy. The district of Ancola is larger than the other two, though, having suffered more severely from the ravages of Mahrattra warfare, it does not yield above half the revenue of the other two. North Canara produces sandal-wood, trees, sugar-canes, teak, wild cinnamon, nutmegs, and pepper. About midway up the Ghauts the teak becomes very common. In many parts, as in the western districts of Soonda, the cultivation of gardens is the chief object of the farmer. In these gardens are raised promiscuously betel-nut and betel-leaf, black pepper, cardamums, and plantains. Towards the eastern side of the province there are very few gardens. The land-tax on these gardens was raised by Tippoo, in consequence of which many of them are now waste. Major Munro, after the country came into the
1 See Fifth Report of the Select Committee on India Affairs, Appendix, No. 30: Report of Board of Revenue, and Proceedings of Madras Government as to the measure of establishing Triennial Village Leases in the unsettled Countries, &c.
2 Ibid.
possession of the British, reduced the rent to the former standard. But a greater indulgence was expected by the people before they would begin to plant. To the east of Soonda the great object of cultivation is rice; and although the rains are not so heavy as to the westward, yet in cooling seasons, on a moist soil, they are sufficient to bring to maturity a crop of rice that requires six months to ripen. A few of the highest fields are cultivated with a kind of rice that ripens in three months. To the north of Battacolla a great portion of the soil is poor. About Beluru are many groves of the tree from the seeds of which is expressed the common lamp-oil of the country.
The sea coast is chiefly occupied by villages of the Brahmins. The interior belongs to other castes, who pursue, some of them agriculture, and others trade. Some of them, who are of the purest descent, are cultivators or soldiers, and, as usual among this class of Hindoos, are strongly addicted to robbery; and by a long course of licentiousness during the anarchy which prevailed in Canara, they have acquired habits of extraordinary cruelty, and even compelled many Brahmins to follow their customs, and to assume their caste. The principal towns in North Canara are Battacolla, Ancola, Carwar, Mirjaow, and Onore. The rivers by which the country is watered, from the short intervals between the country and the sea, are of no great magnitude, being generally mountain streams. (F.)