Daman'

Daman', a Portuguese settlement and port in the province of Gujarat, on the Gulf of Cambay, 100 miles N. of Bombay. The settlement consists of Daman proper (22 sq. m.), and the parganâ of Nagar Havili (60 sq. m.), to the east. Pop. of the former, 56,084; of the latter, 12,636, nearly all Hindus. The climate is generally healthy, the soil moist and fertile. The magnificent teak forests of Nagar Havili provide excellent timber for shipbuilding, for which Daman has some celebrity. The port, guarded by two forts, stands at the mouth of the Daman-Ganga, a deep, navigable stream, with a bar at its mouth, while outside is an excellent roadstead. Although the Portuguese have held Nagar Havili since 1780 only, Daman has been occupied by them since 1558. It formerly was noted for its weaving and dyeing, and exported its own fabrics to the coast of Africa, besides large quantities of opium to China. The opium trade, however, has been stopped, and the chief industry, beyond the weaving of cotton cloth, and of bamboo mats and baskets, is now the deep-sea fishing, in which about 4500 men are engaged.