76 The Ethnology of India. 



in Malabar, it appears that most of the cultivating Bramins there are 

 of Tamil extraction. Many of them condescend to officiate as astro- 

 logers and religious guides to the very lowest and scarcely Hindu 

 castes of Southern India. 



Briefly I would thus recapitulate the position of the Bramins in 

 the principal Provinces of India. 



In Kashmir, they are altogether dominant by the brain and pen, 

 but are not military. 



In the Punjab, Scinde,- and countries about the Saraswatee, Bramins 

 are superseded by other races, and are only found here and there in 

 the eastern part of this tract as industrious cultivators claiming to be 

 the ancient occupants of the country. 



In Hindustan, Bramins have altogether lost literate predominance 

 (with the exception of some immigrant Cashmeerees), and also 

 political predominance, except something retained by quasi-Bramins 

 of mixed caste in the extreme east of this country. But they 

 constitute a large section of the population of Hindustan, especi- 

 ally of the eastern half, and a large proportion of the cultivators, 

 soldiers, &c. 



In Bengal and Orissa, Bramins form a large portion of the Hindu 

 population, occupy to a great extent an aristocratic position, and have 

 a large share in the superior rights in land, in offices, and in the 

 literate professions; but are at the same time quite rivalled by 

 Kaists. 



In the Maratta country, Bramins are altogether dominant in literate 

 work, and have the largest share of political power. 



In the Telinga country, Bramins are in possession of most of the 

 literate work, and apparently of a good deal of office, land, &c. 

 but my information is very imperfect. 



In the South of India, Bramins have but a moderate share of the 

 literate work ; but on the West Coast, they have a large share 

 of the land and form a large proportion of the best cultivating 

 population ; while in the east of this country they seem to be not 

 dominant and are rivalled by several other tribes, though here also 

 they are numerous and employed in many capacities, secular as well 

 as sacerdotal. 



