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HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY. 409
A detailed account of this survey will be given in another
chapter.
On the 4th of February, 1828, Commander Moresby sailed
from Bombay in the cruiser 'Thetis,' to commence the survey
of the Laccadive Islands,* but no detailed account of the opera-
tions was afforded, though the Court published a chart. The
examination was not executed with the minuteness with which,
seven years later, the same highly scientific officer conducted
the survey of the Maldive group, which, with his work in
the Red Sea, will remain a monument to his industry and
skill.
* Laccadive is a corruption of the Sanskrit words, " I.iikslia Dwipa," or "one
hundred thousand islands ;" and was given thcin at a time wlien being little
known, they were supposed to be nuieli more numerous than they arc now
ascertained to be. They were discovered by Vasco da Gama, and subsequently
came under the rule of the Ranee of Cannanore, by whom they were ceded to
Tippoo JSultan, and now nominally form part of the British province of
Canara.