an island of the East Indies, adjacent to Bombay, from which it is in one place divided only by a narrow pass fordable at low water. It is about 26 miles long, and eight or nine broad. The soil is rich, and by a proper cultivation capable of producing anything that will grow in tropical climates. It is everywhere well watered, and when in the possession of the Portuguese furnished such quantities of rice, that it was called the Granary of Goa. It abounds also in all kinds of provisions, and has great plenty of game, both of the four-footed and feathered kind. It has pretty high mountains; and there is a tradition that the whole was thrown up from the bottom of the sea; in confirmation of which it is said, that on the top of the highest hill there was found, some years ago, a stone anchor, such as was anciently used by the inhabitants of that country. Here we meet with the ruins of a place called Canara, where there are excavations of rocks, supposed to be contemporary with those of Elephanta. They are much more numerous, but not comparable to the former either in extent or workmanship.

The island of Salsette lately formed part of the Portuguese dominions in India. It ought to have been ceded to the English along with Bombay, as part of the dower of Catharine of Lisbon, espoused to Charles II. The fulfilment of this article, however, being evaded, the island remained in possession of the Portuguese; and notwithstanding the little care they took of it, the revenue of it was valued at 60,000l. Such was the negligence of the Portuguese government, that they took no care to fortify it against the attacks of the Mahrattas, from whose dominions Salsette was only separated by a very narrow pass fordable at low water. Here they had only a miserable redoubt of no consequence, till, on the appearance of an approaching war with the Mahrattas, they began to build another, which indeed would have answered the purpose of protecting the island, provided the Mahrattas had allowed them to finish it. This, however, was not their intention. They allowed them indeed to go on quietly with their works till they saw them almost completed, when they came and took possession of them. The Mahrattas thus became dangerous neighbours to the English at Bombay, until it was ceded to the latter by the treaty concluded with the people in 1780. E. Long. 72. 15. N. Lat. 19. 0.