DIU
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commercial pursuits, and, after making a sufficient fortune, return to
their native place to spend the evening of their lives. The total revenue
of Diu in 1903-4 was Rs. 73,000; in the same year the imports were
valued at more than az lakhs and the exports at about 141akhs.
The Governor is the chief authority in. both the civil and military
departments, subordinate to the Governor-General of Goa. The
judicial department is under a juiz Municipal, with a small establish-
ment to carry out his orders. For ecclesiastical purposes the island is
divided into two parishes, called Se Matriz and Brancawara, the patron
saints being St. Paul and St. Andrew. Both parishes are under the
spiritual jurisdiction of a dignitary styled the Prior, appointed by the
Bishop of Daman. The office of Governor is invariably filled by a
European, other posts being bestowed on natives of Goa. The public
force consists of 79 soldiers, including officers. The present fortress of
Diu was reconstructed, with several later improvements, after the siege
of 1545, by Dom Joao de Castro. It is an imposing structure, situated
on the extreme east of the island, and defended by several pieces of
cannon, some of which are made of bronze, and appear to be in good
preservation. It is approached by a permanent bridge and entered
through a gateway, which bears a Portuguese inscription and is de-
fended by a bastion called St. George. 'L'he castle is separated from
the other fortifications by a deep moat cut through the solid sandstone
rock, through which the sea had free passage at one time, but now it
enters only at the highest tides. Towards the west of the fortress lies
the town of Diu, divided into two quarters, the Pagan and the Christian.
The former covers two-thirds of the total area, and is intersected by
narrow and crooked roads, lined with houses. Besides the villages on
the island already named, the Portuguese possess the village of Gogola,
towards the north, in the Kathiawar peninsula; and the fort of Simbor,
conquered in 1722, and situated on an islet about 12 miles distant
from the town.
Diu town was formerly embellished with several magnificent edifices,
some of which are still in existence. Of these the most noteworthy is
the college of the Jesuits, erected in 1601, and now converted into a
cathedral, called Se Matriz. Of the former convents, that of St. Francis
is used as a military hospital; that of St. John of God, as a place of
burial; that of St. Dominic is in ruins. The parochial hall of the once
beautiful church of St. Thomas serves as a place of meeting for the
municipal chamber. The mint, where, in the days of the greatest
prosperity of the Portuguese, money of every kind used to be coined,
is now gradually falling into decay. The arsenal, once so renowned,
contains a few insignificant military stores. Besides these buildings,
there are the Governor's palace, a prison, and a school.
Owing to the great advantages which the position of Diu afforded for
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