Tirho of the Indus is a rude boat made of the leaves of the Typha elephantine, used during the inundations for crossing the river.
Canoe of the .Malabar Coast. —Front Cape Comorin to Calicut, on the western side of the Peninsula, the coast abounds with fish, which is generally taken with the hook and line by the natives of the fishing villages, in a small canoe, the best description of which is formed from the angely wood tree, Artocarpus hirsute ; but the inferior sort is of cherno maram. They are cut out from the solid tree, and are from eight to twenty feet in length, and from one and a half to two feet in breadth, the depth being about one, or one foot and a half. They are managed with much dexterity by the natives, with a scull paddle. On the backwater of Cochin, and on the river's month, they are employed in great numbers in taking the seer fish, or country salmon, etc. The largest sort of boats aro used for the convey ance of rice and merchandise on the numerous rivers which disembogne into the backwater, to the extent of 150 miles, parallel to the sea-coast. At times these boats are converted into the Jangar, used on the rivers of the Malabar Coast, and made into a double platform canoe by placing a floor of boards across two boats, with a bamboo railing which extends from ten to twelve feet fore and aft, and sixteen feet long ; and when these boats are thus formed into rafts, cattle and burdensome articles are conveyed across the rivers, as also the native regiments, with all their fol lowers, horses, bullocks, baggage, carts, etc.
Pamban Manche, the Snake Boat of Cochin, is a canoe of great length ; they are used by opulent natives and Europeans as boats for the conveyance and despatch of persons on the numerous rivers and backwaters, particularly on that between Cochin, Allepey, and Quilon, which is about 80 miles southward, and on that • which runs to Ralipact and Trichoir ; the former place being about 20, the latter about 60 miles to the north ward. These boats are from 30 to 60 feet in length, without any regard to breadth or depth, as they are worked from the solid tree. The broadest do not exceed 3 feet. Those of the raja and officers of state are very handsomely fitted up, and carved in a most fantastical manner ; they are made very neat, and even splendid, with painting, gilding, etc. The largest boats are
sculled by about twenty men, double-banked ; and when pressed, their velocity is surprising, as much as a mile in five minutes. Mr. Edye had himself been sculled in one of them a distance of forty-eight miles in six hours. These boats are peculiarly adapted to the rivers ; for it frequently occurs that in the dry season there are sand banks, perfectly dry, nearly a hundred yards in breadth, over which they must be drawn by the strength of the few men who are in them, the smaller size having only six rowers and a cockswain. Those natives who can afford the expense, have the cabin neatly fitted up with venetian blinds on the sides, but generally the cuscus or grass-mat is substituted. This boat is formed from the angely-wood, which is very durable if kept oiled.
Cochin Bandar Manche, or Canoe of Burthen,— are canoes which are cut and formed from thelargest and softest timber of the forest. They are from 20 to 50 feet in length, their breadth and depth being proportioned to the full size of the tree, so as to reduce its dimensions as little as possible. They will carry about 18 tons burden, and are made from 3 to 5 inches thick at the bottom ; but at the top of the side, or gunwale, about to 2 inches, with a proportionate increase of thickness at the extreme ends to protect the end grain of the wood, and withstand any shock that they may meet with. At the distance of about 5 feet on the inside there are ribs about 6 inches broad, projecting about 2 inches from the aide of the boat, for the purpose of giving support and strength to the body of the canoe. These boats may be considered valuable for the service of the port at which they are used, and, notwithstanding their heavy appearance, they are very buoyant, and go very fast through the water. In one of about 35 feet long, with six men and a tindal (cockswain), Edye passed the Minden's (the admiral's ship) barge, which had twelve men on board, and in a distance of four miles to that ship's anchorage he gained on them by time about twenty minutes, although there was a strong sea breeze and swell against him. At Cochin, these boats are used for the purpose of conveying various articles of burden and water to the ships in the roads.