39 HISTORICAL REMARKS ON 



Zamorinfhip, continue to be d i ft ingui fried as firfi, fe- 

 cond, or third Rajah of fuch a Kolgum or palace, 

 (meaning the houfe or branch of the family they were 

 born in,) and rife thus, as it were, in their own corps, 

 till, by reaching within four or five of the head, they 

 become heirs general : and as from this mode of fuc- 

 cefTion the chief Rajah is generally fuperannuated, 

 either the heir-apparent, or one of the younger Rajahs, 

 is often vefted, under the title of Regent, with the 

 active part of the adminiftration. 



XXIX. In this manner did the Zanwrins' family, in 

 particular, and the other Rajahs of Malabar in gene- 

 ral, continue to carry on their government till the year 

 1766, when Hyder Ali Khan made the defcent on, 

 and conqueft of, their country ;* of the manner and 

 immediate confequences of which, as far as regards his 

 own houfe, the following defcription was given to me 

 by the pre lent Samoory or Z amor in* 

 J XXX. " In the Malabar year 941, A. D. 1765-6, 

 Hyder Ali Khan came with an army of fifty 

 thoufand men into Mulyalum, or Mullewar, (both 

 terms meaning the Malabar country,) and waged war 

 <c with my maternal uncle; and having defeated him, 

 took poiievlion of his dominion. My uncle fent a 

 vakeel (or ambafTador) to Hyder Ali Khan, to 

 requeft that his country might be reflored to him, 

 <c and agreed to pay any tribute which might be fettled. 

 fC Hyder gave a very favourable reception to the am- 

 •' baffador, but informed him, that, as he could not 

 M place entire reliance on his word, he propofed 

 " himfelf to depute two perfons, by name Sree 

 f< Newaus Rao and Mookut Rao, to the Rajah, to 

 " communicate his views; adding, that the Rajah 

 " might truft to his honour, and go to meet him, 

 " when he would fettle with him the terms that might 

 " be concerted between them. • The vakeel came back 

 <{ with Hyder' s men to the late Rajah, and informed him 



" of 



* This is to be underftood with the exception of Paulghauf, 

 which Hyder had pofleffed himfelf of four or five years before 



<( 

 tc 



