1838.] Account of Tanjore. 505 



merchant) who had protected them in their distress, and this advice 

 prevailed. The Niyogi brahman, bitterly disappointed, counselled 

 Eckoji to assume the country, which he declined to do. At length, 

 however, by repeated solicitation, Eckoji explained to him that by such 

 a proceeding he should incense the padshah, and endanger the lives of 

 his father, and kindred. While engaged in conveying secret informa- 

 tion of the state of things to his kindred, news came of the padshah's 

 death ; and Eckoji, being exempt from fear from that quarter, next 

 directed his precautions towards Trichinopoly, inquiring if he had to 

 anticipate opposition thence. The brahman told him not to fear, but 

 simply to come with his troops and he (the brahman) would insure him 

 the fort ; perhaps without firing a shot. In the fort the brahman busi- 

 ed himself with magnifying the anger of Eckoji concerning arrears un- 

 paid ; and on the intelligence of Eckoji's troops being in motion the 1 

 panic was wrought up to such a pitch, that the young man fled, and 

 thought himself happy in receiving from the poligar chief of Ariyatur 

 assurances of hospitality and protection. Eckoji entered the fort with- 

 out opposition ; and from that time downwards his descendants ruled. 

 Their names are mentioned. The names of the children of Chewga 

 Mala Dasu, and some of their marriage connexions are added. They 

 received fiefs first from Choka Nat ha ; and, at a later time, when 

 Trichinopoly had been taken by the Mysoreans, these also extended pro- 

 tection to them. During the time of Tippu sultan the king of Candi 

 sent for some of the existing dependents ; married them to his relatives : 

 and gave them fiefs in Ceylon. At the time when the manuscript was 

 written, a descendant of Vijaya Raghava was living in the village 

 close by the fane of Jambukesvara. With the mention of this cir- 

 cumstance and the statement that such is a full account of Tanjore, the 

 manuscript ends. 



Remark. — This manuscript is in a very good state of preservation, 

 and by consequence does not need to be restored. It is historical, and 

 valuable. The opening portion very clearly connects the close of the 

 Chola dynasty with the commencement of the rayer's acquisition of that 

 country, and fixes the time to the reign of Achyuta rayer. This is 

 an important point gained ; and one which I had not before met with. 

 The native line of viceroys from Vijayanagara, become princes by the 

 fall of that capital, is another acquisition. The other events confirm or 

 explain the statement contained in the Telugu manuscript, translated 

 and published in the second volume of oriental manuscripts, with some 

 variations ; as must always be expected in two distinct, and independent 

 narratives of the same events. On the whole, I consider this document 



