Chapter CANHAMEIRA to CAPEL of C by The Hobson Jobson Dictionary

CANHAMEIRA to CAPEL

CANHAMEIRA, CONIMERE, [COONIMODE], n.p. Kanyimedu [or Kunimedu, Tam. kuni, ‘humped,’ medu, ‘mound’] ; a place on the Coromandel coast, which was formerly the site of European factories (1682–1698) between Pondicherry and Madras, about 13 m. N. of the former.

1501.—In Amerigo Vespucci’s letter from C. Verde to Lorenzo de’ Medici, giving an account of the Portuguese discoveries in India, he mentions on the coast, before Mailepur, “Conimal.”—In Baldelli-Boni, Introd. to Il Milione, p. liii.

1561.—“On this coast there is a place called Canhameira, where there are so many deer and wild cattle that if a man wants to buy 500 deer-skins, within eight days the blacks of the place will give him delivery, catching them in snares, and giving two or three skins for a fanam.”—Correa, ii. 772.

1680.—“It is resolved to apply to the Soobidar of Sevagee’s Country of Chengy for a Cowle to settle factories at Cooraboor (?) and Coonemerro, and also at Porto Novo, if desired.”—Ft. St. Geo. Consns., 7th Jan., in Notes and Exts., No. iii. p. 44.

[1689.—“We therefore conclude it more safe and expedient that the Chief of Conimere …do go and visit Rama Raja.”—InWheeler, Early Rec., p. 97.

1727.—“Connymere or Conjemeer is the next Place, where the English had a Factory many Years, but, on their purchasing Fort St. David, it was broken up.…At present its name is hardly seen in the Map of Trade.” —A. Hamilton, i. 357.

1753.—“De Pondicheri, à Madras, la côte court en général nord-nord-est quelques degrés est. Le premier endroit de remarque est Congi-medu, vulgairement dit Congimer, à quatre lieues marines plus que moins de Pondicheri.”—D’ Anville, p. 123.

CANNANORE, n.p. A port on the coast of northern Malabar, famous in the early Portuguese history, and which still is the chief British military station on that coast, with a European regiment. The name is Kannur or Kannanur, ‘Krishna’s Town.’ [The Madras Gloss. gives Mal. kannu, ‘eye,’ ur, ‘village,’ i.e. ‘beautiful village.’]

c. 1506.—“In Cananor il suo Re si è zentil, e qui nasce zz. (i.e. zenzari, ‘ginger’) ; ma li zz. pochi e non cusi boni come quelli de Colcut.”—Leonardo Ca’ Masser, in Archivio Storico Ital., Append.

1510.—“Canonor is a fine and large city, in which the King of Portugal has a very strong castle.…This Canonor is a port at which horses which come from Persia disembark.”—Varthema, 123.

1572—.

“Chamará o Samorim mais gente nova
Fará que todo o Nayre em fim se mova
Que entre Calecut jaz, e Cananor.”

Camões, x. 14.

By Burton :

“The Samorin shall summon fresh allies ;
lo ! at his bidding every Nayr-man hies.
that dwells twixt Calecut and Cananor.”

[1611.—“The old Nahuda Mahomet of Cainnor goeth aboard in this boat.”—Danvers, Letters, i. 95.]

CANONGO, s. P. kanun-go, i.e. ‘Law-utterer’ (the first part being Arab. from Gr. [Greek Text] kanvn. In upper India, and formerly in Bengal, the registrar of a tahsil, or other revenue subdivision, who receives the reports of the patwaris, or village registrars. 1758.—“Add to this that the King’s Connegoes were maintained at our expense, as well as the Gomastahs and other servants belonging to the Zemindars, whose accounts we sent for.”—Letter to Court, Dec. 31, in Long, 157.

1765.—“I have to struggle with every difficulty that can be thrown in my way by ministers, mutseddies, congoes (!), &c., and their dependents.”—Letter from F. Sykes, in Carraccioli’s Life of Clive, i. 542.

CANTEROY, s. A gold coin formerly used in the S.E. part of Madras territory. It was worth 3 rs. Properly Kanthiravi hun (or pagoda) from Kanthirava Raya ‘the lion-voiced,’ [Skt. kantha, ‘throat,’ rava, noise’], who ruled in Mysore from 1638 to 1659 (C. P. Brown, MS.; [Rice, Mysore, i. 803]. See Dirom’s Narrative, p. 279, where the revenues of the territory taken from Tippoo in 1792 are stated in Canteray pagodas.

1790.—“The full collections amounted to five Crores and ninety-two lacks of Canteroy pagodas of 3 Rupees each.”—Dalrymple, Or. Rep. i. 237.

1800.—“Accounts are commonly kept in Canter’raia Palams,