in a military sense, a small number of men, horse or foot, sent upon any kind of duty, as into an enemy's country to pillage, to take prisoners, and to levy contributions. Parties are often sent out to examine the roads and ways, procure intelligence, forage, reconnoitre, or amuse the enemy upon a march; and they are also frequently sent upon the flanks of an army or regiment, to discover the enemy if near, and prevent surprise or ambuscade.

PARUPANADA, a town of Southern India, situated on the sea-coast of the province of Malabar. The small town of Vuyura was originally called the North Parupanada. It is pleasantly situated on the northern bank of a river, near the sea-coast, and which would be navigable for ships were it not for a large bar at its mouth. The other town of Parupanada contains 700 houses, mostly built of stone, and is well aired; and the surf, compared with that which breaks on the Madras shore, is trifling; so that, excepting in some places where rocky head-lands run into the sea, boats of any kind may without any danger land on the coast. From two to three thousand teak trees may be procured here annually. It is twenty-two miles south from Calicut. Long. 75. 55. E. Lat. 11. 2. N.