MANUAL OF THE NILAGIRI DISTRICT. 



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animal, as well as an assessment of 1 cantarai fanam, or 4 annas 8 CHAP. Xill, 

 pies, per bullah on the grazing lands in the immediate neighbour- PART l. 

 hood of their mands, calculated at the rate of 10 buUahs (38 acres) revenue 

 for every hundred head of cattle herded at a mand. This latter tax History. 

 produced Eupees 350 in 1828 and Rupees 400 in 1847. 



When Mr. Sullimn first settled on the Hills, he appears to have —its extent. 

 regarded the Todas' rights as extending to the whole of the 

 plateau. " Referring to what has lately appeared in the public 

 papers on the subject of colonizing the Hills," he writes on New 

 Year's eve, 1829, " I would only beg leave to remind the Boai-d 

 that these hill people have rights. The Todawars can show as clear 

 a proprietary right to the soil they now occupy as can be produced 

 by the Mirassidars of Malabar, and to a certain share of the 

 produce of all land now cultivated or that may hereafter be culti- 

 vated. The Todawars were originally in possession of the whole 

 range, and it was only with their permission that the Burghers 

 settled and cultivated upon mutual agreement, which is in force 

 at this moment. The scanty number of the Toda population 

 cannot be held to bar their claims. The Burghers again, holding 

 from the Todawars on a fixed quit-rent, have a property in all the 

 land they occupy. The cultivation and population in their nauds 

 are rapidly increasing, and in a few years the Burghers, if left 

 undisturbed, will occupy all the best descriptions and many of the v 

 inferior soils. In the Malnaud, or Todawar country, there is 

 certainly room for a colony. That tract would support a very 

 large population, but before any measures are taken for colonizing, 

 the consent of the proprietors should be obtained, and a fair 

 remuneration made to them for what they are to give up. They 

 have been greatly injured by the formation of the cantonment of 

 Ootacamand. The occupants of lands within this circle have paid 

 for two cawnies for each house ; for all the rest of the land from 

 which the Todawars are debarred the use, they have received no 

 remuneration at all. Having been the means of introducing 

 Europeans and strangers to the Neilgherries, I am bound by every 

 obligation of public duty and good feeling to assert the rights of 

 the inhabitants whenever an attempt may be made to invade 

 them." He had purchased from them, it will be observed, and , y 

 not from Government, the lands occupied by him at Stonehouse, 

 and later at Southdowns (Bishopsdown), and his example had 

 been followed by several others, notably Sir William Kumbold, 

 who thus acquired the site on which the Club and neighbouring 

 houses now stand. 



These transactions were not called in question by Government —condition 

 until the beginning of Sir Frederick Adam's reign, but were virtu- "^^^-^gj^f 

 ally admitted, for Government obtained by purchase properties so 

 acquired without questioning the title- But the rapid growth 



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