Chap. XXIV. PULLADOM. 393 



influence of the women, and all women have influence, is 

 for e^-il. The men, to maintain their superiority, dislike 

 the women to know anything, and the head official of the 

 cutcherry at Coimbatore, who is a Brahmin, dare not let his 

 friends know that his wife can read and wi-ite, though this 

 accomj^lishment makes her a more useful and agreeable 

 companion. The women, generally, are treated like slaves 

 by their husbands. They are never allowed to eat at the 

 same time, except on the wedding-day, and must walk behind 

 their husbands on a journey, generally carrying a child on 

 their hijjs ; yet I have seen the man carrying the cliild, and 

 at least taking tm-n about, and in other respects they always 

 appeared to be on good terms with each other. 



At Coimbatore I bought a handy or country cart of the 

 simplest construction, with two wheels, no springs, and a hood 

 of matting spread over curved canes ; and started, ^vith relays 

 of bullocks posted at intervals of fifteen miles. This mode 

 of travelling is inconceivably slow, the rate being about three 

 miles an hour, and it was near sunset before I reached Pul- 

 ladom, a \'illage twenty-two miles from Coimbatore. The road 

 is nearly straight, and planted on both sides with trees of 

 stunted growth, owing to the shallowness of the soil. It was 

 market-day at Pulladom, and people were sitting in rows, 

 before piles of cotton cloths, rice, and dry grains ; while an 

 old Tahsildar, in spectacles and snow-white garments, was 

 holding a court under a verandah. In strolling about I came 

 upon the huge idol-car belonging to the village, on hea^y 

 wooden trucks. The carvings on its sides were very elabo- 

 rate, wtli elephant-headed gods at the angles ; but it is only 

 dragged out on very great occasions, and will require new 

 trucks before it is moved again. 



All this country round Coimbatore produces much cotton, 

 and cloths are manufactured in great quantities, which supply 

 garments, such as they are, for the people of the i)lains, as 



