THE COAST OF MALABAR. 7 



after, in confequence of Vajco de Gamas difcovery, 

 they continue to conftitute to this day a coniiderable 

 body of the lower orders of the prefcnt fociety in Tra- 

 vancore and Cochin; in which la ft diftridt there live 

 alfo the mod coniiderable, or rather, perhaps, the 

 only, colony of Jews in India. 



IX. Of the events that took place from the partition 

 till the above mentioned difcovery of Malabar by the 

 Portuguefe in 1496, I am not pofTefTed of adequate 

 materials to afford any full or fufnciently fatisfactory 

 detail; but the principal may, as far as relates to its 

 interior adminiftration, be probably comprized in 

 the wars carried on during this long period by the 

 Samoory or Zamorin family for its aggrandizements 

 and in the confequent ftruggles kept up by the others, 

 and especially the middle and fouthern principalities, 

 to maintain their independence: for as to attacks from 

 without, I have not been able to trace that they expe- 

 rienced any material ones during this long interval, or 

 that the Prince of Chaldeih was ever able to re-eftablifh 

 his dominion over this fouthern part of the coaft, 

 within the limits afligned by the natives to Malabar 

 Proper, or the tract by them denominated Mulyalum, 

 or Ma ley am. 



X. During this period alfo the Mahommedan religion 

 made great progrefs in Malabar, as well from the zeal 

 of its more early profelytes in converting the natives, 

 as in purchafing or procuring the children of the 

 poorer claffes, and bringing them up in that faith : 

 and thefe Arabian traders, bringing annually fums of 

 money to the Malabar ccaft, for the pepper and other 

 fpices that they carried from it for the fupply of all 

 the reft of the world, received every encouragement, 

 and the fulleft protection for their property and reli- 

 gion, from the fucceilive Samoories, or Z amor ins, 

 whence they naturally grew into the habit of rendering 

 that part of the coaft the centre of their traffic and 



A 4 refidence ; 



