thin muslin dresses affording but a slight protection against the piercing winds; and as they seldom thought of taking any precaution against the dews or cold of night, several of them were attacked with fever as the penalty of their imprudence, which increased their reluctance to ascend the hills. It was by slow degrees that this disinclination gave way before a conviction of the salubrity of the climate. In 1826, however, a large village had been established, composed of Hindoos, with a bazaar, to which commodities are brought by native merchants from great distances. Four passes lead up to the Neilgherries: the northern or Mysore pass; the western or Wynaad pass; the southern or Malabar pass, and the eastern or Coimbatoor pass. Captain Harkness describes the Mysore route. Before we refer more particularly however, to the contents of his volume, it may not be unacceptable to our readers, if we briefly describe the geographical features of the region.

The Nilagiri or Neilgherry hills (literally blue mountains) are composed of lofty and very irregular ridges, rising from an elevated table land, near the extremity of the Indian peninsula, and forming the nucleus of the Eastern and Western Ghauts. Their base is about 200 miles in circumference, and is surrounded by a zone of thick jungle, extending more or less into the plains. The mountainous region forms an irregular oblong, extending forty-two miles from s.w. to N.E., with a mean breadth of about fifteen miles. The greater part is composed of parallel ridges of different elevations, enclosing deep valleys or morasses. About the centre, it is divided by a loftier chain running N.E. and s.w., from which smaller ridges branch off in all directions. The loftiest peak of this central crest, forming the apex of this mass of mountains, is called Dodabetta: its height has been ascertained by the barometer, to be 8,700 feet above the sea. On the southwest, the Neilgherry hills are divided by the Mannar, a branch of the Bhowany or Bhavani, from the Koondah hills in the Malabar district, which are a continuation of the same mountainous region. On the south and east, they are bounded by the open country of Coimbatoor. The deep valley of the Mayar river, on the north, divides the table land of Davaroypatnum, which forms their base, from that of Mysore. On the north-west is the district of Wynaad; and on the west, the chain of the Ghauts. The present division of the region is into four naads or districts: Parunga-naad to the east; Meyka naad, south; Koonda-naad, south and south-west; and north and north-west, including nearly the whole crest of the mountains, Tuda-naad. That part of the hills which has now become the principal European settlement, is called Oatacamund or Wotaycamund: it occupies the central crest, and includes almost every variety of site and landscape.

On entering Oatacamund from the north-west, or by the main road leading from the Mysore country, the opposite mountains are in the highest degree beautiful and picturesque, forming a majestic and extended amphitheatre. At their base, and on the lesser hills and knolls in their vicinity, a number of pretty white buildings give relief to the rich verdure: above these, and in the clefts which partially separate mountain from mountain, shoot up lofty and umbrageous trees, appearing at a distance to form little impervious forests; and beyond these, in succession, rise the several tops, covered to the very summit with the richest pasture.

then

Nor is the scene less beautiful on a nearer approach; for you find the green bespangled with a variety of the most beautiful wild flowers, of every diversity of colour; the trees, among which appear the crimson rhododendron and the white camelia, varying in shade and richness of foliage; and some covered with moss, assuming all the hoary appearance of winter; while the banks of the rills and streamlets that meander at their base, are lined with the dog-rose and jessamine; and all around are seen the strawberry and numerous other wild fruits, flourishing in spontaneous luxuriance.

'Several of the little streams, meeting at one point, fall into a natural basin, which, confined at its south-western extremity by a strong mound of earth, forms an expansive and delightful lake of five or six miles circuit. This beautiful piece of water, which, in some parts, spreads out to a considerable width, and, in others, winds in a serpentine course among hills gently rising from its banks, and clothed with the softest verdure, has now a public carriage road surrounding it; affording one of the most scenic, healthful, and agreeable drives of which India, or, perhaps, any part of the world can boast. In the perspective, south-west of Oatacamund, appears the range of mountains called the Koondaho, (more generally known among the original inhabitants by the name of Mheur, rainy,) whose peaks, mostly hidden in clouds, seem, when they do appear, to be of height superior to that of Dodabetta.' Harkness, pp. 4-6.

The volume from which we extract this glowing description, purports to be an account of a singular aboriginal race,' found on the summit of these mountains, who call themselves Tudas (men), but who are commonly called by the neighbouring tribes Toruwars, herdsmen. They form a very small tribe, not exceeding in number, including both sexes and all ages, six hundred souls. But they are considered by Captain Harkness as the remnant of a distinct and most extraordinary race, the original inhabitants of the hills. Their appearance is represented as very prepossessing.

Generally above the common height, athletic and well made, their bold bearing and open, expressive countenances lead immediately to the conclusion that they must be of a different race from their neighbours of the same hue. A large, full, and speaking eye, Roman nose, fine teeth, and pleasing contour; having occasionally the appearance of great gravity, but eemingly ever ready to fall into the expression of cheerfulness and good

humour; are natural marks prominently distinguishing them from all other natives of India. . . They never wear any covering to the head, whatever the weather may be, but allow the hair to grow to an equal length of about six or seven inches: parted from the centre or crown, it forms into natural bushy circlets all round, and, at a short distance, more resembles some artificial decoration, than the simple adornment of nature. The hair of the face is allowed a similar freedom of growth, and in every instance, except from the effect of age, it is of a jet black, and of the same degree of softness as that of the natives of the low country. They usually wear small gold ear-rings; some of them a studded chain of silver round the neck, and rings of the same description on the hand. Their dress consists of a short under garment folded round the waist, and fastened by a girdle, and an upper one or mantle, which covers every part except the head, legs, and occasionally the right arm. When in a recumbent or sitting posture, this mantle covers them entirely. They wear no sandals, nor any kind of protection to the feet or legs; carry no weapon of defence, but, in the right hand, a small rod or wand, which they use, not so much to assist them in walking, as in the management of their herds, &c.

The women are of a stature proportionate to that of the men, but of complexion generally some shades lighter; the consequence, perhaps, of less exposure to the weather. With a strongly feminine cast of the same expressive features as the men, most of them, and particularly the younger, have beautiful long black tresses, which flow in unrestrained luxuriance over the neck and shoulders. With a modest and retiring demeanour, they are perfectly free from the ungracious and menial-like timidity of the generality of the sex in the low country, and enter into conversation with a stranger with a confidence and selfpossession becoming in the eyes of Europeans, and strongly characteristics of a system of manners and customs widely differing from those of their neighbours. They wear necklaces of twisted hair or black thread, with silver clasps, and here and there a bead, and suspended to them bunches of cowry shells, which hang down from the back of the neck between the shoulders. On the arms, immediately above the elbow, they wear armlets of brass, those of the right arm being much longer than those of the left; silver bracelets are on the wrists; and on the fingers and thumbs of each hand, a number of rings of various descriptions. They also wear a zone round the waist, composed of a sort of chain-work, of either silver or a mixed metal resembling brass. Their upper garment or mantle resembles that of the men, but is worn differently, and, reaching to the feet, envelopes the whole frame.'

Pp 6-9.

But whence did these Tuda ladies obtain this profusion of rings, bracelets, necklaces, and zones of chain-work? It seems never to have occurred to their admiring Visiter, that these articles must either have been brought to the Tudas, or the Tudas must have become possessed of them before they took up their abode on these hills. Now, no merchants have been in the practice of crossing these mountains; and besides, the Tudas would seem to have nothing to offer in barter for such precious goods. They

are mere herdsmen, breeding no other animal than the buffalo' having neither poultry, pigs, sheep, nor goats, and cultivating no grain or vegetables of any description. They can hardly be said to live in society, each family dwelling in a separate groupe of huts. Being so entirely destitute, in their present condition, of the means of procuring these treasures, by either purchase, fraud, or force, how can they have become possessed of them, as aboriginal inhabitants of this region? Their ancestors, probably, not many generations back, may have been in possession of this wealth, such wealth as indicates trade; and the Tudas have a tradition, that their forefathers did in fact inhabit the low country, till, unable to endure the severities of the reigning monarch, they sought an asylum, with their women and children, in these mountains, driving their herds before them. This is known to have been the case with the Marves, Buddacars, or Burghers, who compose the greater part of the population of the Neilgherries. They were soodras or cultivators of Mysore, who, about six generations ago, migrated to these hills during the anarchy that succeeded to the downfal of the Vijayanagara monarchy. The Tudas are older inhabitants of this region, on which account they appear to be looked up to with respect and deference by the more timid Burghers, as lords of the soil; and each hamlet pays to the Tuda of the district a tribute of grain. That the latter are of a very distinct race, is manifest: their religion, language, customs, mode of living, and physical character, are all, Capt. Harkness says, entirely distinct. Their language, the pronunciation of which is deeply pectoral, is represented as bearing some affinity or resemblance to the Tamul, but still differing from it so widely, as well as from the other vernacular dialects, that, although these 'hills have now been the seat of the principal collector's cutcherry for the last ten years, there is no instance of its having 'been acquired by any one of the native servants sufficiently for them to understand the expression of the simplest occurrence.' What is more surprising, the other tribes who inhabit the hills, have not become conversant with it; but the Tudas, generally, have a sufficient knowledge of the Tamul and the Karnata to make themselves partially understood. They have no written character, nor any visible symbol by which to communicate their thoughts. As to their religion, they are not idolaters; at least, they have no images; they are not Buddhists, nor Moslem, but might rather be suspected of being Guebers, as they salute the sun on its rising;' but they burn their dead.

6

About three or four miles s. of Oatacamund, there is a hill, on the summit of which are four curious stone circles of a sepulchral character, which the Tudas call p'hins. Each consists of a wall four or five feet in height and three feet in thickness, and formed of unhewn stones piled one upon another without

cement, and forming a circle about eight feet in diameter. Upon opening one of these, and clearing the area of the rank vegetation with which it was overgrown, a pavement of large flags was discovered; and upon the removal of this, another layer of smaller stones. Below these was a layer of brownish black mould, about two feet in depth, intermixed with pieces of broken earthen pots, bits of charcoal, fragments of earthen images of the buffalo, and with other soil of a blacker and finer mould. These p'hins are placed in a line, five or six feet apart. On another hill, are three, similarly situated; and on every remarkable eminence, one, two, or more of these singular monuments may be seen. Rude as they are, both in material and in construction, they must have been, the Writer remarks, the result of much labour, for most of the stones could have been collected only at a considerable distance from the spot. 6 They are evidently the work of former days, and have still such an appearance of durability that, if assailed only by time, they may remain for ages.' On a summit conspicuous for its elevation, stands a solitary p'hin, which our Author and his party also opened.

We found this circle,' he says, in every respect the same with regard to its construction, and to the nature and depth of the soils, as the one we had opened the day preceding; but immediately below the flags, and embedded in the alluvial soil, we discovered numerous urns, some of which were nearly entire, in a perpendicular position, with their lids on, as when first deposited; but the greater number were pressed out of all form, and intermixed with the surrounding soil, forming a mass corresponding to that which we had turned up in our examination of the former p'hin. Here also we found figures of the buffalo, the tiger, the peacock, the antelope, &c.; and on putting together the different parts of the broken urns, and comparing them with those we had taken up in a nearly entire state, it appeared to us, that the figures might have formed ornaments to the tops of the urns, and that these were as likely to have been produced according to the mere fancy of the potter, as that they were (what we had before conceived them to be) objects of worship. The urns that were entire, or nearly so, were filled with the black kind of earth before mentioned, together with small pieces of charcoal. p. 35.

From the accompanying plate, these urns and their ornamental figures would appear to be of no inferior workmanship; and there can be little doubt, we imagine, that they are cinerary urns; but by whom manufactured and by whom deposited, our Author does not undertake to inform us. The Tudas are apparently strangers to the mechanical arts, although their funeral rites are described as being conformable to the custom of cremation, indicated by these singular monuments. The Author was present at one of their funeral sacrifices, which, as here described, will recal the rites of classic paganism.