io historical remarks on 



13th. <c They have, moreover, fubjeded themfelves 

 " to a multitude of inconveniencies, or difficult ob- 

 " fervances, which they do, neverthelefs, ftedfailly ad- 

 tc here to ; as, for inftance, they have arranged and 

 " limited the fitnefs of things as refpedtively appli- 

 " cable to the higher, middle, and lower ranks, in 

 <c fuch manner, that if a perfon of the higher, and one 

 cc of the lower, happen to meet, or rather to approach 

 <c each other, the proper diftance to be obferved be- 

 cc tween them is known and defined ; and if this dif- 

 <f tance be encroached upon, he of the higher caft mult 

 <f bathe; nor can he lawfully touch food before under- 

 " going this purification ; or if he do, he falls from 

 <c his dignity, to which he cannot be raifed again ; nor 

 " has he any other refource than to betake himfelf to 

 " flight, and, forfaking his abode, to proceed where 

 <f his fituation is unknown ; and mould he not thus 

 " flee, the ruler of the country is to apprehend him, 

 " and fhall fell him to fome mean perfon, mould even 

 cc the party incurring this difgrace be a child or a 

 " woman ; or otherwife he may refort to the Mq/lems, 

 « c and poiTefs the I/lam* or elfe become a Jogui, or a 

 cc p r i n gy y i.e. a Chriftian. 



14th. " In like manner it is prohibited for thofe of 

 " a lower degree to drefs food for a higher ; and if any 

 <f one partake of fuch a meal, he muft fall from his rank. 



15th. " Thofe who are entitled to wear the Zunaar* 

 fC or Brdhmenical thread, are fuperior to, and more no- 

 " ble than, all the clafTes of the Infidels of Malabar ; 



" and 



* This is one of the reafons aligned to me by a Rajah of the 

 Zamorin family, for the number of Mapilla Mujfulmans being 

 now greater in the Calicut diftrifts than the Hindus and Nayrs\ 

 namelv. the nicety of their obfervances, and facility of lofing 

 caft ; which drives the parlies, from neceffity, into the pale of 

 JJlaviifyn. The fame Rajah mentioned, on this occafion, the cuf- 

 tom of the Nambodry Brdhmens, who thus difpofed of their own 

 women, without incurring any difparagement of caft, to the Ma- 

 nillas ; which rule holds alfo good in refpecl: to other females, as 

 intimated in the fecond note page 13, and in the fequel of Ze i r- 

 reddien's text. 



