132 The Ethnology of India. 



children. They have apparently some Poojarees of their own caste, 

 but also to some degree accept Bramins as priests. Some of them 

 are educated, or at least some sections of them are quite literate. 



Of this sort I have mentioned the Modelliars, who are distinctly 

 stated to be a branch of them, but I am not quite sure whether it 

 actually is so as regards the Pillays. The Vellallers are the principal 

 tribe among the Tamul population in the north of Ceylon. The 

 whole race seems to be an industrious good people. 



The cowherds in the Tamul country are it appears called " Idayan," 

 and I have alluded to the learned branch of the cowherd race called 

 Yadavas. *I have not been able to ascertain who are the merchant 

 class among the Tamul people, whether Modelliars, Pillays, &c. or 

 whether there are any Banijagas. 



The artisans in the south generally seem to be classed in groups, 

 one caste comprising several different handicrafts, the principal of 

 which is that of the Panchalas or Pancham-Bandams, comprising 

 carpenters, blacksmiths, coppersmiths, masons and another which has 

 escaped me. 



The principal low caste tribes are the Palli orPallers, and the Pariahs, 

 who, though somewhat similar in name, are quite distinct and in fact 

 seem to be a good deal opposed to one another one (the Pallers ;) 

 forming the lowest grade of what are called the right hand castes, 

 the other (the Pariahs) holding the same place among the left hand 

 castes. Then there are the robber castes, Kallars and Marawars. I 

 have been unable to make out accurately whether these are the same 

 or different, whether Marawar is the name of the tribe and Kallar 

 only means robber, or whether there are two "tribes. However pre- 

 datory their disposition, they are not all now robbers, but seem to 

 form a considerable portion of the settled inhabitants of the extreme 

 south of the Peninsula. In one place I find the Marawars described 

 as very aboriginal in feature, and in that respect giving much ground 

 for the belief that they are descended from the monkeys who assisted 

 in the conquest of Ceylon, while in another place they are said to 

 be well made and featured and of a martial disposition. Probably 

 they vary very much, accordingly as they are more or less crossed 

 with Arians. The Tondimans people are, it appears, mostly Kallrrs. 

 There seems to be a great resemblance between the position of the 



