The Land of the Permauls or Cochin: Its Past and Its Present

This book, originally published in 1863, provides the comprehensive information about Cochin. The eighteen chapters describe its history, legends, people, politics, commerce and produce, flora and fauna, foreign settlements, wars, customs and so forth.

It is a remarkable description of Cochin in the mid-nineteenth century. The author, a surgeon and medical officer to the government of the Rajah of Cochin, provides a number of detailed chapters on the fauna of the state.

Both H.H. the Rajah of Cochin and S. Menone, the Dewan, provided information on many subjects connected with the native State. Assistance was also received from General Cullen, who for nearly twenty years was the Resident, and intimately acquainted with the people, their manners, customs and laws of the State.