TRINCOMALEE, n.p. A well-known harbour on the N.E. coast of Ceylon. The proper name is doubtful. It is alleged to be Tirukko-natha-malai, or Taranga-malai. The last (‘Sea-Hill’) seems conceived to fit our modern pronunciation, but not the older forms. It is perhaps Tri-kona-malai, for ‘Three-peak Hill.’ There is a shrine of Siva on the hill, called Trikoneswara; [so the Madras Man. (ii. 216)].
1553.—“And then along the coast towards the north, above Baticalou, there is the kingdom of Triquinamalé.”—Barros, II. ii. cap. 1.
1602.—“This Priace having departed, made sail, and was driven by the winds unknowing whither he went. In a few days he came in sight of a desert island (being that of Ceilon), where he made the land at a haven called Preaturé, between Triquillimalé and the point of Jafanapatam.”—Couto, V. i. 5.
1672.—“Trinquenemale hath a surpassingly fine harbour, as may be seen from the draught thereof, yea one of the best and largest in all Ceylon, and better sheltered from the winds than the harbours of Belligamme, Gale, or Colombo.”—Baldaeus, 413.
1675.—“The Cinghalese themselves oppose this, saying that they emigrated from another country…that some thousand years ago, a Prince of great piety, driven out of the land of Tanassery…came to land near the Hill of Tricoenmale with 1800 or 2000 men.…”—Ryklof van Goens, in Valentijn (Ceylon), 210.
1685.—“Triquinimale.…”—Ribeyro, Fr. Tr. 6.
1726.—“Trinkenemale, properly Tricoenmale” (i.e. Trikunmalê).—Valentijn (Ceylon), 19.
„ “Trinkemale.…”—Ibid. 103.
1727.—“…that vigilant Dutchman was soon after them with his Fleet, and forced them to fight disadvantageously in Trankamalaya Bay, wherein the French lost one half of their Fleet, being either sunk or burnt.”—A. Hamilton, i. 343, [ed. 1744].
1761.—“We arrived at Trinconomale in Ceylone (which is one of the finest, if not ye best and most capacious Harbours in ye World) the first of November, and employed that and part of the ensuing Month in preparing our Ships for ye next Campaign.”—MS. Letter of James Rennell, Jan. 31.
TRIPANG, s. The sea-slug. This is the Malay name, tripang, teripang. See SWALLOW, and BECHE- DE-MER.
[1817.—“Bich de mar is well known to be a dried sea slug used in the dishes of the Chinese; it is known among the Malayan Islands by the name of Tripang.…”—Raffles, H. of Java, 2nd ed. i. 232.]
TRIPLICANE, n.p. A suburb of Fort St. George; the part where the palace of the “Nabob of the Carnatic”
is. It has been explained, questionably, as Tiru-valli-kedi, ‘sacred-creeper-tank.’ Seshagiri Sastri gives it
as Tiru-alli-keni, ‘sacred lily- (Nymphaea rubea) tank,’ [and so the Madras Gloss. giving the word as
Tiruvallikkéni.] 1674.—“There is an absolute necessity to go on fortifying this place in the best manner
we can, our enemies at sea and land being within less than musket shot, and better fortified in their
camp at Trivelicane than we are here.”—Ft. St. Geo. Consns. Feb. 2. In Notes and Exts., Madras,
1871, No. I. p. 28.
1679.—“The Didwan (Dewaun) from Conjeveram, who pretends to have come from
Court, having sent word from Treplicane that unless the Governor would come to the garden by the
river side to receive the Phyrmaund he would carry it back to Court again, answer is returned that it
hath not been accustomary for the Governours to go out to receive a bare Phyrmaund except there
come therewith a Serpow (see SEER-PAW) or a Tasheriff” (see TASHREEF).—Do., do., Dec. 2. Ibid.
1873, No. III. p. 40.
[1682–4.—“Triblicane, Treblicane Trivety.”—Diary Ft. St. Geo. ed. Pringle, i. 63; iii.
154.]
TRIVANDRUM, n.p. The modern capital of the State now known as Travancore (q.v.) Properly Tiru- (v)ananta-puram, ‘Sacred Vishnu-Town.’
TRUMPÁK, n.p. This is the name by which the site of the native suburb of the city of Ormus on the famous island of that name is known. The real name is shown by Lt. Stiffe’s account of that island (Geogr. Mag. i. 13) to have been Turun-bagh, ‘Garden of Turun,’ and it was properly the palace of the old Kings, of whom more than one bore the name of Turun or Turun Shah.
1507.—“When the people of the city saw that they were so surrounded, that from no direction could water be brought, which was what they felt most of all, the principal Moors collected together and went to the king desiring him earnestly to provide a guard for the pools of Turumbaque, which were at the