The next place on the sea coast is _Barcale_, a town, mountain, and highly celebrated Brahman temple; in the neighbourhood of which is an uncommonly beautiful _Colam_, or sacred pond, where the king is accustomed to bathe once every year. A spring of very pure, healthful, purgative water has its source in the adjacent mountain. I could not learn why it possessed these qualities till I happened to be in company with Mr. Hutchinson, who informed me, that both the mountain of _Barcale_ and that of _Kidàcolam_ contain abundance of iron. After passing the _Barcale_ you immediately arrive at a river which flows down from the district of _Cottàracare_, lying towards the west. On this river, which runs past the town of _Paru_, where it discharges itself into the sea, _Vira Martanda_, king of Travancor, a predecessor of the present king _Rama Varmer_, encamped ten years, because the king of Ciangacèri or Collam disputed with him the passage. In 1746 Vira Martanda at length found means to force his way over, and to take prisoner the king of _Ciangacèri_, as well as that of _Ceràva_ or _Porrocàda_, together with several petty princes whose dominions extended as far as Cochin. Besides _Mainàda_ there is no other place to be mentioned on this coast, as the eighth degree of northern latitude here ends. _Collam_, called by the Europeans, very improperly, _Coelan_, _Coilon_, or _Coulan_, lies under the 9th degree of north latitude. It was built in the year 825 after the birth of Christ and formerly was a city of considerable note. The Christian as well as Pagan natives of Malabar begin their æra at the period of its foundation; for they say, _Collam tollairata arravata a manda_; that is, 965 years after the founding of Collam; which, according to our mode of computation, corresponds with the year 1789. I must not, however, forget to mention, that the months of the people on the Malabar coast end ten days later than ours; so that the tenth day of their month corresponds with the twentieth of ours. This they call _Palè Cänuaca_, or the old style. In this city there were formerly a great many weaving looms, as well as manufactories of cotton and stone-ware. Various articles of household furniture were also made here, of _Ayani_, _Benga_, _Teka_, and _Biti_ wood, the last of which is perfectly black, and as highly esteemed as ebony. Even at present the most ingenious artists on the Malabar coast reside at Collam. Cotton, pepper, ginger, cardamoms, and other kinds of merchandise, are carried hither by water, and deposited in warehouses. The Christian congregation here have St. Thomas for their patron, and, though adjacent to the coast, belong to the diocese of the archbishop of _Angamali_, the true pastor of the Christians of St. Thomas. Alexius Menezes, the first archbishop of Goa, opened here his first conference with the Christians of St. Thomas, when he made them renounce the principles of Nestorius, and embrace the doctrines of