MYRRH, GUM, is the name of a gum resin which issu, s ol,tatieously, or after incision, from a tree which grows in Arabia and Abyssinia. Some account of it will be found ill 0111" article CHEMISTRY, and in MATER1A NEDICA.
Tot quantities of myrhli imported in 1806, 1807, and 1808, w.r about 127 c%% t. wt.rtli about 3452/ averaging 20/. per e.%%1 See Phil Trans vol. lxv p. 408, and Ali mn.'s Oriental Commerce, vol. i. p. 107.
NlYSORE, a large in the south of India, sittntio between the 1 lth and 15th degrees of north latitude, extends above 210 miles in length, and 140 in averagt. breadth. It is inclosed by the Eastern and Wes tern Ghauts, and consists of a high table-land, nearly 3000 feet above the level of the s.ea. It is cntelcd several passes ; but all the practicable roads unite in one of these, namely, the Palicaud pass, which tendel N the defence of the country more easy. There are manv lofty hills in the province, from which most of the rivers which water the south of India take their rise. The prin cipal of these rivers are, the Toombuddra, the Vedawa'i, the Bhadri, the Arkanati, the Penar, the Palar, the Pa naur, and the Cavery, which last is the only one that attains to any magnitude while within the bounds of the pro%ince. The clitnate in this elevated region is mole temperate and healthy than in any other tract of the same extent within the tropics. The monsoons, which, a' different seasons, deluge the coasts of Malabar and Co romandel, have their force broken by the Ghauts mountains which surround the province; and on either side extend into the interior parts in frequent showers, which, though sometimes heavy, are seldom of long con tinuance, and which preserve the temperature of thc climate, as well as promote the freshness of vegetation, throughout the year. The province abounds in iron-ore, which is worked by the natives, but in a very slovenlk . manner, and which yields, under their management. above 47 per cent of malleable iron, in a very impure state.
The family of the Rajah of Alysore is supposed to have had its origin from the Yadava tribe, which, at a remote period, had its residence in the Guzerat penin sula. The first sovereign of the country in record was Cham Raj, who ascended the throne, A. D. 1507, but who was only the governor of a small district. Succeed ing princes added new territories to the original princi pality; but in the reign of Canty Raj, who ascended the throne in 1704, began the influence of the delawais, or ministers of state, which ever after kept the rajahs as mere pageants of authority. In 1749, Hyder Ali Khan,
a Alahometan soldier, entered the service of the Mysore army at 27 yeas of age, and, though unable to read or write, speedily rose to a distinguished rank. In 1760, he banished the Delawai Nunseraj, who hacl been his patron, and usurped the sovereignty, leaving to the reign ing rajah the nominal supremacy. He made great ad ditions to his dominions; and in 1780 invaded the lower Carnatic, which he laid wastc in every direction, and extended his ravages to the gates of Madras. His pro gress was arrested by the exertions of Alr. Hastings and Sir Eyre Coote ; but, being powerfully assisted by the French. he carried on an indecisive war till his death on the 9th December, 1782, when lie was succeeded by his son Tippoo, who had already acquired thc reputation of a great warrior. This prince prosecuted the war against the British till he was deprived of the co-operation of the French by the peace of 1784, when he concluded a treaty on honourable terms. He continued, however. to harass his neighbours on every occasion ; and in 1790 made an unprovoked attack upon the Rajah of Travan core, who applied to the Blitish goveinment for the as sistance which they were bound by treaty to render him. A war was in consequence begun, which terminated in Alarch, 1792, by a peace which Lord Cornwallis com pelled Tippoo to conclude under the walls of Seringa patam, and %v hich deprived him of one half of his domi nions. in consequence of renewed attempts on his part for regaining his lost power, a second wit' broke out, which was brought to a conclusion on the 4:11 Alay, 1799, by the storming of Seringapatam by the British army under General Harris, and the death of Tippoo himself, who fell in the attack. With him ended the Maltommc clan dynasty of Mysore, after lasting only 38 years. The British goverunient immediately raised to the throne a legitimate descendant of the fOysure Family, which had been superseded by. that of Hyder; and stipulated by tteaty that the Company should maintain a military force in Mysore, fur its defence against all cxternal enemies, and that the Rajah should pay an annual subsidy for its support. The inhabitanti of Mysore have, since that period, ternained undisturbed hy cign invasion or in ternal dissention ; and the genetal prosperity of the country has been greatly pronmtecl.