THE COAST OF MALABAR. 29 



part of the general fubjedi:) is not, as in the reft of 

 India, in favour of their own fons and children, but 

 (as noticed by Zeirreddien in refpect to the Nayrs) of 

 their brethren in the female line, and of the fons of their 

 lifters, who do not marry according to the ufually re- 

 ceived fenfe of that term in other parts of the world, 

 but form connections of a longer or fhorter duration, 

 according to the choice of the parties, for the moft part 

 with Malabar Brahmens s (called Namboories?) and who 

 differ efTentially from others of that caft throughout 

 the reft of India,) by whom are thus propagated the 

 heirs to all the Malabar principalities, without, how. 

 ever, the reputed fathers having, or pretending to, any 

 paternal claim to the children of thefe tranfitory en- 

 gagements, who, divided under each Raj ah (hip into 

 diftinct branches, called ^uilon, or Kolgum> or Kollum, 

 i. e. families or palaces, fucceed (as has been already 

 intimated) to the chief Rajahfhip, or fupreme rule, by 

 feniority; whilft the next fenior, or heir-apparent, is 

 ftiled the firft; and the others, or the heirs in expec- 

 tancy, are (as for inftance, in the Samoory's family) 

 diftinguifned by the titles of the fecond, third, fourth, ■ 

 or fifth Rajahs; as far down as which they are called 

 general Rajahs; and being deemed more efpecially to 

 belong to the ftate, form a kind of permanent council 

 to the Zamorin ; whilft all thofe males of the family 

 who are more than five removes from the fenior, or 



Zamorinihip, 



* Namboory, or Nambgo dire i 15 faid by fome (according to the 

 explanation furnifhed to me by Lieutenant Mac Lean) to be a 

 corruption of Nambie, applicable to thofe whofe privilege it is 

 to attend to- and perform the religious fervice in the temples; 

 whilft others affert that the name is derived from Nama, and 

 Poogia, or Poogikanna, to invoke, pray, or perform religious ce- 

 remonies. Nambadie, or Nambidie, a clafs of inferior Brakmens, 

 faid to have become degraded from their anceftor, a Namboorie, 

 having been employed by Siiermanoo Permaloo, and the 

 Malabarians, to cut off by treachery (which he effected) Clio/RA, 

 a former percimal, or governor, whom Kiss en Rao had lent 

 back with an army to lupercede Shermanoo. as intimated in 

 Section VII. And befides thefe. there are above a doz-n m 

 divifionsof the Brah >,oiiral nibe. 



