138 The Ethnology of India. 
older and softer Indian civilisation, not swept over by the democratic 
tribes of the north-west, and still retaining considerable points of 
resemblance among themselves. 
Tur SoutHern CuRisrians. 
T have not been able to find any precise ethnological description of 
the Christians of the Southern Coast, but so far as I can learn, they 
are principally Shanars. 
Tur Moprans. 
I believe that the notoriety of certain events has led most people 
at a distance to suppose the Moplahs to be a small sect of religious 
fanatics on the West Coast. Nothing can be a greater mistake. 
They are a large, most energetic, and most prosperous people ; in some 
industrial respects perhaps the best population to be found anywhere 
in India. In point of numbers alone they are very considerable. In 
a large portion of the Malabar country, they form full half the popu- 
lation, and in the Malabar district their total number by census is 
not far short of half a million. They are also numerous in Canara 
and very numerous in Travancore. The Lubbays of the Tinnevelly 
Coasts seem to be as nearly as possible the same race. It is evident 
then that they are numerous enough to form a small kingdom, and 
in point of wealth and individual comfort and prosperity they 
certainly exceed any similar number of any other race in India. If 
confidently assert that no one can see the comfortable, neat, superior 
two-storied houses and homesteads of the Moplahs of the West 
Coast, without feeling that he has come upon a people non-Indian in 
their vigour, progressiveness, and whole style. One hardly feels oneself 
in India. There is no doubt that the Moplahs have a very large 
share of Arab blood. J have not been able to ascertain particulars 
of the date of their immigration, nor of the parts of Arabia from 
which, and the tribes from among whom they come, which latter 
points would be important now that Mr. Palgrave has led us to 
distinguish among Arab and quasi-Arabs; but the general native 
belief, which is probably correct, is that the Moplahs are a cross 
between Arabs and Teermen. ‘The result is a fine, stout, manly, good- 
looking race. Their religion and much of their energy and manners 
