eague from the sea, and at this place the Dutch have a
fort. This place is remarkable for having formerly been the seat of a
_Jewish government_, and that nation was once so numerous here as to
consist of 40,000 families, though now reduced to 4000. They have a
synagogue about two miles from the city of Cochin, not far from the
palace of the rajah, and in it they carefully preserve their records,
engraven upon plates of copper in the Hebrew language; and when any
of the characters decay, they are cut anew, so that they still possess
their history down from the reign of Nebuchadnezzar to the present
day. About the year 1695, _Mynheer van Reede_ had an abstract of this
history translated from Hebrew into the Dutch language. They assert
themselves to be of the tribe of Manasseh, a part of which was sent
by Nebuchadnezzar to the most easterly province of his large empire,
which is alleged to have reached Cape Comorin. Twenty thousand of them
travelled from Babylon to this place in three years, and were civilly
and hospitably treated by the inhabitants of Malabar, who allowed
them liberty of conscience in religion, and the free exercise of their
reason and industry in the management of their secular affairs. Having
increased in numbers and riches, they at length, by policy or wealth,
became masters of the small kingdom of Cranganore: And a particular
family among them being much esteemed for wisdom and riches, two of
that family were chosen by their elders and senators to govern the
commonwealth, and to reign jointly over them. At length one of the
brothers invited his colleague to a feast, at which he basely killed
him, thinking to reign alone; but a son of the deceased slew the
fratricide, after which the state fell into a democracy, which still
continues among the Jews here. Their lands have, however, reverted for
many years into the hands of the Malabars, and poverty and oppression
have occasioned many of them to apostatise.

Between Cranganore and Cochin there is an island called Baypin,
[Vaypen] four leagues long, but in no part above two miles broad.
The Dutch do not allow any vessels or boats to enter or go out at
Cranganore, obliging all to use the river of Cochin, which is a
quarter of a mile broad, and very deep, but has a bar on which there
is no more than fourteen feet water at spring-tides. The inhabitants
of this country are mostly idolaters, over whom the bramins or
priests exercise great authority, which the