is a large town of Asia, in the peninsula on this side the Ganges, and on the coast of Coromandel. Its situation is low, and the ships anchor about a mile and a half from it; nor can the boats or canoes come nearer it than a musket-shot, on account of the breakers, so that the blacks come in flat-bottomed boats to carry the men and merchandizes to the fleet. The fort is 200 paces from the sea, and very irregular; built with bricks, and covered with fine plaster, resembling white marble. The huts of the blacks lie here and there, and the walls are of bamboos mixed with the branches of trees. The French are greatly addicted to women, from whom they catch diseases that render them pale, livid, and meagre, with a frightful aspect. However, several of the French are married to a sort of Portuguese women, who are of a mixed breed, being a kind of Mulattoes. The country about it is barren, and consequently most of their provisions are brought from other places. Their trade consists of cotton-cloth, silks, pepper, saltpetre, and other merchandizes that are brought from Bengal. With regard to the religion of the natives, the most numerous are the Gentoos; but there are Mahometans or Moors who hold a great many ridiculous opinions. The Gentoos are of different sects, and that of the Brahmins are priests. The custom of women burning themselves with the bodies of their dead husbands was very common, but of late much discountenanced. The slaves or servants are very numerous, and their chief food is rice. This place was taken, and the fortifications demolished, by Colonel Coote; it was restored to the French by the peace of 1763; and was retaken by the English in 1793. It is 100 miles south of Madras. E. Long. 79° 58'. N. Lat. 11° 42'.