MANUAL OP THE NILAGIRI DISTRICT. 181 



But altlioug-h the primitive tribes are thus representatives^ in a CHAP. IX. 

 degree, of tribes whose power and influence was once widespread, ethnology 



yet they can be so only in a degree, for the constituent clans of 



each of those tribes, though known now under some general 

 appellation, and possessing some generic qualities in common, 

 were probably separated from one another in manifold way»s. 

 Through untold ages prior to the dawn of history. South India 

 r was probably occupied, like Central Africa of to-day, by numerous 

 3 clans and tribes, springing up and then vanishing with a rapidity 

 7 which is hardly conceivable in more civilized communities, where 

 r) war, famine, and pestilence have lost some of their primal destruc- 

 p tive force. Some of these clans would naturally, under favoring 

 t' cii'cumstances, have progi-essed, whilst others, under unaltered 

 t\ conditions, would have necessarily remained in their primitive 

 r state. But all would be known alike to strangers by one generic 

 li name, taken probably from some accident of their appearance or 

 !i! mode of life. This probably was the case with the Kiirumbas and 

 l Irulas,the dwarfs and blacks of the past. Clans belonging to each 

 \<\ of these great divisions or tribes became civilized, partially at least, 

 \i\ attained dominion, and exercised the arts of government and of 

 K politic life ; but others never emerged from a state of barbarism and 

 Si savagery. Among these were probably the forefathers of the Nilagiri 

 ii Kiirumbas and Irulas. In fact the former are even now behind 

 I their kinsmen of the neighbouring plains, and obtain a livelihood 

 X by the pursuit of game, instead of by the care of sheep. Similarly, 

 I elsewhere, remnants of other large tribes, such as the Maravas and 

 the Kallas, are scattered over the country, though some of their 

 kindred have secured territory and power. But making allowance 

 for these facts, still the isolated sections or remnants of tribes 

 once powerful possess a greater interest than remnants which we 

 know must have been greatly affected, both in language and 

 manners, by contact with immigrant races, in that their very 

 isolation has tended to preserve unchanged their dialect and race 

 idiosyncracies. Thus in these dwellers in the wilderness, whether 

 we regard them as descendants of, or merely as akin to the power- 

 ful tribes of their name of yore, we may find true indications of 

 what their ancestors were before they succumbed to conquering 

 invaders, and lost all their original brightness, by being driven 

 back to seek subsistence under conditions of the savage life from 

 which they had for a time emerged. 



In a work of this description, however, speculative inquiries are Sources of 

 out of place, and therefore in the following monographs I have i^iformation. 

 endeavoured simply to produce faithfully the recorded observations 

 and views of the several competent writers on the subject. 



By far the most trustworthy and exhaustive treatise thereon 

 is the Report on the Primitive Tribes and Monuments of the 



