The garrison of _Puduceri_ consisted of 4000 men. The city is situated on a sandy plain, not far from the shore, which produces nothing but palm trees, millet, and a few herbs; though the surrounding district produces cotton, with a little rice and capers. Neither _Puduceri_ nor _Madras atnam_ can be compared with the cities on the Malabar coast, in regard to abundance in provisions. On the coast of _Ciòlamandala_, which forms the eastern part of this peninsula, the heat is more intense, and the soil much sandier than any where else; and fewer rivers are found here, because it is too far distant from that ridge of mountains called the _Gauts_. To these circumstances it is to be ascribed that it produces very little cotton, and much less rice; that a greater trade is carried on here, while agriculture is neglected; and, in short, that its inhabitants are much more active and ingenious, handsomer, blacker, and more superstitious than on the coast of Malabar. The kingdom of _Tanjaur_ forms, however, an exception; for this district is watered by several rivers that flow through it, and supplies with rice the whole coast of _Ciòlamandala_. The English, therefore, never ceased quarrelling with the Indian princes till they had reduced this kingdom under their subjection, as I shall soon relate in a more particular manner. I remained at _Puduceri_ till the 8th of September. During that time, which I employed in making myself acquainted with the geography of the country, the manufactures and manners of the Indians, I met with two incidents, which to me were new, and on that account excited more my astonishment. I had put all my effects into a chest which stood in my apartment, and being one day desirous of taking out a book in order to amuse myself with reading, as soon as I opened the chest I discovered in it an innumerable multitude of those white insects which the _Tamulians_, that is the inhabitants of the coast of _Ciòlamandala_, call _Carea_, and those of Malabar _Cedel_. They are the white ants which have been already described by naturalists, but which I never before had an opportunity of seeing[15]. When I examined the different articles in the chest, I unfortunately observed that these little animals had perforated my shirts in a thousand places; gnawed to pieces my books, and among others had already half destroyed a copy of Father Gazzaniga’s Theology; my girdle, my amice, and my shoes fell to pieces as soon as I touched them. The ants were moving in columns each behind the other, and each carried away in its mouth a fragment of my effects, As I expressed my astonishment by a loud shout, M. Jallabert ran into the room, and, seeing the swarms of these insects, repeatedly exclaimed, _Carea! Carea!_ He then ordered my chest to be placed in the sun, and as soon as these careas found themselves exposed to his rays, they all speedily left it. My effects, however, were more than half destroyed;