LA CAILLE. See CAILLE, Louis Nicholas de la.
LACCADIVES, an archipelago of low islands lying off the western coast of India, between 8° and 13° N. Lat. There are nineteen considerable ones; but as most of them are surrounded with reefs and steep rocks, with a great depth of water close to them, the approach to them is very dangerous. Between these islands there are many channels, through which ships from India, bound to Persia or Arabia,
frequently sail. The safest of these is called Mamale, or the Nine-degree Channel, which runs between the islands of Seuhilipar and Kalpenny. The largest of these islands is about 7 miles in length and 2½ in breadth. Most of them are inhabited by a race of Mohammedans called Moys. They do not yield grain, but produce an infinite quantity of cocoa-nuts, from the husks of which they form the coir cables, which are more elastic and durable than hemp, as the sea-water, instead of rotting, preserves them. These islands are well supplied with fish, and carry on a trade with the small shells called cowries, which pass as coin all over India and most of Africa. Most of these islands are under the uncontrolled management of the beebee of Cannanore, subject to the payment of an annual tribute to the British government. A proposal has been made to the beebee to transfer them to the British, in consideration of a pecuniary equivalent. They were discovered by Vasco de Gama in 1499, but have since been little frequented by Europeans.