The Lexington advertiser. [volume] (Lexington, Miss.) 1904-1985, 1950-05-18
THROUGH
HAZEL
EYES
by Hozel Brannon Smith
Cochin, India
Delayed

not as yet merged with the New
Dominion of India. 1t is approx
mately a day and a half by ship
from Ceylon and Bombay.
Cochin, like many of the Indian
ports, depends upon its water
transportation and it is interest
ing to watch the many boats and
parges heavily laden with pro-
duce being brought down the ri
vers from the interior TO the
large shipping houses which line
che harbor. The Dutch influence
is very noticeable in the shape Of
these buildings, especially in the
roof lines.
Cochin is divided into British
Cochin, the residential section for
most of the Europeans, and In
dian Cochin.
The business section of Indian
Cochin, like most small towns,
consists of one street but is rather
unique in that this street borders
the harbor and each place OF
business has its own dock and
warehouse and the building con-
tinues through to a shop on the
street.
Transportation along the main
street and through The many lar
row unpavd side streets is by
rickshaw and the native rickshaw
boy, who usually speaks but a
few words of English will pull
you around and show you the
town for a few cents an hour.
Actually, the rickshaws are
licensed and a standard rate is
printed on a card that is usually
hidden somewhere on the rick
shaw.
Ii you are lucky enough to find
this card and manage to convert
the Is annas you will find that
the rate is less than 20 cents per
hour. incidentally the monetary
unit is the rupee which is divid-
ed into Ii annas. The rupee is
worth approximately 20 cents in
u. S. money.
British Cochin is very beautiful
and it is very interesting to ride
ssickshaw through this section
passing at close hand the many
fishing traps which line the har-
Dor, the old fort, the country club
where you are likely to see a eric !
ket match in progress, and the
many lovely homes. with their
well kept grounds.
No matter in what direction the
tourist starts the rickshaw boy
will eventually arrive at the
Church of St. Francis. This
church was originally built by the
Franciscans about 1900. st. Fran
els of Assist is its patron Saint
and st. Francis xaxier, on good
authority, is believed to have
preached here before his depart
ure for the Far East where he
died a martyrs death in Malacca.
Vasco da Cana as Viceroy of the
Indies, died while on a visit to
Cochin and was buried in the
Chancel of this Church. His body
was later removed to Portugal.
When the Dutch took Cochin In
1868 they destroyed all religious
buildings save the Cathedral and
this church, which they adapted
for the exercises of the Dutch Re-
formed religion. The British ar
rived in 1895 shortly there after
the Church of England was es-
tablished. 1t is interesting to
examine the old gravestones, now
located around the walls OF the
Church many which are in the
Dutch language. One usually Is
shown the old baptismal and mar
riage register which was scrlbed
on palm leaves The Church is
cooled by a long rectangular
overhead fans which are manual
Nv operated on cords by small
boys during the services.
Cochin's principal export are
cashew nuts and fibre rugs. The
worlds main supply OF cashew
nuts is processed here. Many OF
the nuts are actually grown on
the east coast of South Africa
and shipped into Cochin for hull
ing, sizing, and packing. The pro-
ces of hulling the nuts is a very
dangerous one for the acid IN the
hulls eats into the natives hands
and eventually causes painful
sores. After the nuts are hulled,
they are sized or graded and pack
ed into tins for shipment. The
greatest percentage of these cas-
news find their way into Ameri-
can markets where they are roast
ed. buttered and sailed and COM
mand premium prices.
The fibre rugs produced in the
Cochin area are some OF the
finest in the world. The fibres,
taken principally from the palm
tree. are first dyed brilliant
colors with native dyes and
then woven into thick rugs of
beautiful patterns. These rugs,
due to the method of weaving,
are reversible.
No matter what time of the