HILLS NEAR -RA'jAMAHALL. . $g 



compensation, or are feasted ; the latter, however, 

 from their disputes in general being trivial, is most 

 common. The appointment of Cu/zzwls, Phojedars, 

 and Jemmadars, belong to the Maiuigies ; and he can 

 dismiss from office when any of them offend ; the 

 Jemmadar is merely an honorary officer. I cannot 

 now learn at what period the hill -villages were formed 

 into Tuppahs. It seems however to have been an as- 

 sociation for mutual protection ; for the Sirdur Maun- 

 gy, or chief of a Tuppah, receives no contribution 

 from any village but his own, or one in which he 

 resides : when appealed to, or applied to for justice, 

 he is paid in proportion to the amount or magnitude 

 of the cause. He could assemble the several Maun- 

 gies with their adherents on any offensive or defensive 

 operations, but could not compel those to act who 

 disapproved of the motives. In their wars, when high- 

 landers were made prisoners, they were either set at 

 liberty, or were ransomed. In their descents into 

 the plains they were not however so merciful ; all 

 who opposed them were put to death ; those who 

 made no defence, women and children, were stripped 

 of such valuables as they might have, but neither 

 punished nor made prisoners. On such occasions the 

 chastity of women was held inviolable ; for it was 

 believed, if any of the assailants committed violence 

 on the persons of females, that he would infallibly 

 lose his reason and die. The bow and arrow is the only 

 arms peculiar to these mountaineers ; some few have 

 swords, and still fewer have match-locks ; but these 

 ■probably were collected in their predatory incursic: 



H 2 into 



