Aboriginal Tribes of India, 335 



mountains, is still held by an aboriginal chief with a portion 

 of his tribe ; and within the memory of man the kingdom of 

 Mysore contained several principalities of the Beder race. 

 Further south, the Morawas and Collars obtained celebrity in 

 modern times by their adhesion to one or other of the Euro- 

 pean belligerent powers (France and England), and evinced 

 fidelity and even devotion to the cause of the party which 

 each espoused. Further north we find the vast region of 

 Gondwana still peopled almost entirely by the aboriginal 

 race, which extends throughout the hilly districts of Orissa in 

 the direction of the valley of the Ganges. The territory of 

 Gondwana appears never to have been reduced to the condi- 

 tion of a Hindu state, but has preserved through successive 

 ages its institutions, its laws, and its religion intact. 



In the more northern part of India there are recorded 

 instances of principalities of the aboriginal tribes which have 

 resisted with great resolution, and sometimes with success, 

 the efforts of the Hindus and Mahommedans to subdue them, 

 but at present there is hardly one in existence which retains 

 anything like independence in the plains ; indeed there are 

 not many of any importance throughout all India, even in the 

 hills. 



I have described the ancient Hindus as having attained, at 

 a very remote period, a high degree of perfection in literature 

 and in science. They were not less remarkable for their 

 civil institutions. At whatever period they settled in the 

 northern regions of Upper India, there is no doubt that (in 

 common with the greater part of the Caucasian family, of 

 which they must be deemed a branch) they established 

 throughout the territory they occupied, municipal institutions 

 in each village and township, by means of which the inhabi- 

 tants managed their own aft'airs. Besides this peculiarity of 

 government, the Hindus adopted the practice of dividing 

 their municipalities into castes, which would neither eat to- 

 gether nor intermarry. These consisted of four principal divi- 

 sions, from each of which are minor ramifications. 



The four castes comprise, — 



\st. The military, from which are sprung sovereigns and 

 princes, as well as warriors. 



