THE COAST OF MALABAR. 2J 



XXVII. For otherwife thofe Rajahs' rights in ge- 

 neral did not then extend to the exaction of any re- 

 gular, fettled, or fixed revenue from their fubjecb, 

 the original confutation of their government only en- 

 titling them to call on their vafTals, the Brahmen and 

 No.yr landholders, for military fervice : but, although 

 this general exemption from any land-tax is Mated to 

 have thus univerfally prevailed, in the early times of 

 the Rajahs' governments, it is, however, allowed, that 

 they were occasionally fubjecl: to fome contribution for 

 the extraordinary exigencies of defence againft the in- 

 vasion of foreign enemies, fuch as the Canarefe and 

 Portuguefe : and in Cherical, and alfo in the Samoory's 

 dominions, the cuftom was at length introduced, or, 

 perhaps, rather continued, from the earlier! period, 

 (as intimated in Section VI.) of the Rajahis' levying 

 from the lands (excepting, perhaps, thofe appertain- 

 ing to the temples) a fettled revenue or income, in 

 money or kind, equal to one fifth of the produce : 

 and the Rajahs held alfo large domains of their own, 

 which, with the cuftoms on trade, and mint duties, 

 might have been fufficient for the maintenance of their 

 ordmary (late; more efpecially as, in addition to thefe 

 rights, they, under the head of PoGreJhandrum, ex- 

 acted from the Manillas (i. e. the defcendants of the 

 MufTulmans *) a fhare of the eflates of all deceafed 



perfons ; 



* Of the term Mahapilla, or Mapilla, I have heard many deri- 

 vations ; one of which was given me. by a Cauzy of their own 

 tribe, who fcrupled not (whether jocularly, or otherwife. I can- 

 not determine) to combine it of the two Hindvee words Ma/i. 

 mother, and Pilla, a puppy ; intimating, that it was a term of 

 reproach fixed on them by the Hindoos, who certainly rate them 

 below all their own creditable cafts, and put them on a footing 

 with the Chnjiians and Jews ; to the former of whom (if not to 

 both) they apply ihe fame name: and thus the Chriftians of St. 

 Thomas are diftinguifhed by the name of the Syrian Mubitlatl 

 but I rather confide in the more reufonnblc derivation I obtained 

 thro' Lieut. Mac Lean's refearch.es, viz. that the term is indeed 

 compounded of Maha, or Mahai, and Pilla, though not in the 

 aforefaid Cauzy's offenfivefenfe, but as a denomination applied to 

 the firft grangers who fettled in Malabar, by reafon of their be- 

 ing fuppofed to come from Mocha, which in Malabar is called 



