34 The Ethnology of Indva. 
I believe that they cultivate quietly, and there appears to be now 
little complaint against them. Organised and serious raids on the 
plains are, I understand, unknown. The Rajmahal men are those who 
were enlisted into the British military service to form the local corps 
known as the Bhaugulpore Hill Rangers ; but when the usually quiet 
Santals were impelled by a sense of wrong to a headlong sort of 
rebellion, the other (and it was supposed more military) race forming 
the Rangers, when opposed to them, by no means distinguished 
themselves, and they have since, I think, been disbanded. 
I now pass to the Kolarian tribes. The more civilised and numerous 
tribes of this race, occupying an extensive country about 150 miles 
_west from Calcutta, and known as Moondahs, Bhoomiz, Hos, and 
Santals, speak languages so nearly identical, that they may all 
be regarded as Sub-divisions of one people. They are in fact very 
like one another in many ways. They occupy most of the British 
districts of Chota-Nagpore, Singbhoom, Maunbhoom, and the hilly part 
of Bhaugulpore (Rajmahal hills excepted) now known as the Santal 
Pergunnahs; also parts of West Burdwan, Midnapore and Cuttack. 
They are a simple industrious people, and are reputed to be 
remarkably honest and truthful. Their country is healthy and, 
unlike most aboriginal tribes in most parts of the world, they seem 
by no means to be dying out, but multiply and supply the labour 
market. Partly on account of the cheapness of labour in their 
country, partly on account of their tractable disposition and freedom 
from all caste and food prejudices, and more especially, I think, because 
-of that want of attachment to the soil which distinguishes the 
Aboriginal from the Arian, they are much sought after and highly 
prized as labourers. Many of them are settled in the service of Bengal 
Indigo-planters ; they are very well known as labourers on the Railways, 
roads, and other works of Western Bengal ; and they are now, I believe, 
the favourite material for emigration to Assam. Unfortunately, 
however, coming from a healthy high and dry country, they have not 
that capacity for resisting malaria for which the wilter tribes are 
remarkable, and seem to die very rapidly. 
In the Chota-Nagpore country, the ‘ Moondahs’ seem to have so far 
adopted Arian manners, as to live together in considerable villages, 
instead of apart in detached houses or isolated hamlets, according to 
