CANARA

CANARA, NORTH. This division of Canara is situated between the thirteenth and the sixteenth degrees of northern latitude, and contains three smaller districts—Cundapoor, Onore, and Ancola. Its sea-coast, which is 100 miles in length, has scarcely any sinuities, and within its whole extent there is hardly a safe station for large vessels. 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 creeper 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 Mahratia warfare, it does not yield above half the revenue of the other two. North Canara produces sandal-wood, 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, cardamoms, and plantains. Towards the eastern side of the province there are very few gardens, but along the courses of the streams, and those of the plain country in general where water may be obtained by digging to the depth of a few feet, the lands are well suited for cultivation. Here the great object of cultivation is rice; and although the rains are not so heavy as to the westward, yet in cooler 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 Beiluru are many groves of the tree from the seeds of which is expressed the common lamp-oil of the country. The

climate of the lowlands is considered unhealthy, producing intermittent and other fevers.

The principal towns in North Canara are Cundapoor, 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.