Major-General Sir J. Malcolm on the Bhills. 7,3 



which service he receives, as his dues, a piece of cloth, and tiie vessels, and 

 other articles, used in the sacrifice. It is also common for the BhilLs to 

 raise, on such occasions, a cairn, or rude pile of stones, to the chief who is 

 beatified ; and the top of this pile is, at particular periods of worship, co- 

 vered with oil, red lead, and vermilion. 



T cannot better illustrate the belief and usages of the Bhills, regarding 

 their sainted heroes, than by giving a legend of the tribes inhabiting the 

 mountainous tract, situated between the Nermada and the TdpH, and lying 

 to the west of the level parts of Nemar. The demi-gods and heroes of 

 other tribes differ in their names and qualities, and in the fables relating to 

 their origin, from those described in the legend; but the miracles, which 

 attended their birth and progress, are all of similar character and con- 

 struction. 



According to the traditions, and written records, of some of the oldest 

 and best informed of the Rawels, or holy men, of these Nemar Bhills, " A 

 " youth of the mercantile class, named Olia, of Tdran Mall, who had 

 " left his o^Vn family, came to the house of a Brdhme?} school-master, called 

 " Khoja, who took him under his protection, and educated him, alon.r 

 " with his own daughter, named BarmA. One day, the two young scliot 

 " lars were assisting each other in their lessons, when the girl proposed 

 " casting their nativity, in order to discover whether they were born under 

 " the influence of the same star, and consequently capable of being united 

 " in marriage or not. They were employed in this task, when the Brd/imen 

 " arrived, who, perceiving in what they were engaged, was very angry, 

 " and taxing the young Banj/d with ingratitude, in aspiring to the htnd 

 " of his daughter, struck him several blows. The Bani/d, irritated by 

 " such usage, lifted up his writing-board, and gave the Brdlmen so severe a 

 " blow, that it killed him. Alarmed at what he had done, he prepared to 

 " flee, when the girl entreated him to take her with him. He agreed to 

 " this ; and after having performed the funeral rites of the deceased Brdh- 

 " men, they departed, and went to Toran Mall, where they lived as man 

 " and wife. 



" Some time after tills, BaumA, leaving her husband to take care of the 

 " household aftairs, accompanied the JaVra, or annual concourse of pilgrims, 

 " going to worship SedAsiva, who was then passing his time in iapasi/a or 

 " mental abstraction, on the hill of Dhavalagiri Parvat (or the White Mown 



\^oi.. I. L 



