76 On the State of the Christians inhahit'ing 



all cases, whether in spiritual, or, as I heard, in temporal 

 affairs. They are respected very highly by the Nairs, who 

 <3o not consider themselves delilcd by associating with them, 

 though it is well known that the Nairs are the most parti- 

 cular of all the Hindoos in this respect ; and the rajahs of 

 Travancore and Cochin admit them to rank next to Nairs. 

 Their numbers, it is conjectured, are under-rated in the 

 statement given to the resident, as it is generally supposed 

 that they may be estimated at 70 or S0,000. They are not 

 persecuted, but they are not permitted to make converts by 

 the governments under which they reside ; and it is sup- 

 posed that many respectable Hindoos would be happy to 

 join their sect, were it not for this circumstance; but at pre- 

 sent they suffer, as far as I can learn, no other hardship. 



If good men from Syria could be obtained, not as parish 

 priests, but to superintend and regulate their concerns, I 

 conceive it would be a great blessing to these good people. 



The direct protection of the British government has been 

 already extended to them; but, as they do not reside within 

 the British territories, I am somewhat doubtful how far it 

 may be of use to them. 



To unite them to the church of England would, in my 

 opinion,- be a most noble vi'ork ; and it is most devoutly to 

 be wished for, that those who have been driven into the 

 Roman pale might be recalled to their antient .church ; a 

 measure which it would not, I imagine, be difficult to ac- 

 complish, as the country goveraments would, it is supposed, 

 second any efibrts to that purpose. 



Their occupations are various as those of other Chris- 

 tians ; but they are chiefly cultivators and artisans ; and 

 some of them possess a comfortable, if not a splendid, in- 

 dependence. Their clergy marry in the same manner as pro- 

 iestants. Their residence is entirely inland. 



Syrian Roman Catholics. 



These people, as staled above, were constrained to join 

 the Latin church, after a long struggle for the power of 

 maintaining t!ieir purity and independence; and still appear 

 a people perfectly distinct from the Latin church, being al- 

 lowed 



