ituated
between the twenty-first and twenty-second degrees of north latitude;
from hence the peninsula stretches into the Indian ocean as far as the
latitude of eight north, ending in a point at Cape Comorin, which is the
southern extremity. To the northward this peninsula joins to Indostan,
and at its greatest breadth extends seven hundred miles. Upon the west,
east, and south, it is washed by the sea. It comprehends the kingdoms
of Malabar, Decan, Golconda, and Bisnagar, with the principalities of
Gingi, Tanjaour, and Madura. The western side is distinguished by
the name of the Malabar coast: the eastern takes the denomination of
Coromandel; and in different parts of this long sweep, from Surat round
Cape Comorin to the bottom of the bay of Bengal, the English and other
European powers have, with the consent of the mogul, established forts
and trading settlements. All these kingdoms, properly speaking, belong
to the mogul; but his power was so weakened by the last invasion of
Kouli Khan, that he has not been able to assert his empire over this
remote country; the tributary princes of which, and even the nabobs, who
were originally governors appointed under their authority, have rendered
themselves independent, and exert an absolute dominion over their
respective territories, without acknowledging his superiority either by
tribute or homage. These princes, when they quarrel among themselves,
naturally have recourse to the assistance of such European powers as
are settled in or near their dominions; and in the same manner the East
Indian companies of the European powers which happen to be at war with
each other, never fail to interest the nabobs in the dispute.

[Illustration: 349.jpg BOMBAY]

ACCOUNT OF THE ENGLISH SETTLEMENTS.

The next English settlement to Surat, on the coast of the peninsula, is
Bombay, in the kingdom of Decan, a small island, with a very convenient
harbour, above five-and-forty leagues to the south of Surat. The town
is very populous; but the soil is barren, and the climate unhealthy; and
the commerce was rendered very precarious by the neighbourhood of
the famous corsair Angria, until his port of Geria was taken, and his
fortifications demolished. The English company likewise carry on some
traffic at Dabul, about forty leagues further to the south, in the
province of Cuncan. In the same southerly progression, towards the
point of the peninsula, we arrive at Carwar, in the latitude of fift