138 Tlie 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. 



The Southern Christians. 



I 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. 



The Moplahs. 



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. I 

 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. I 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 I 

 between Arabs and Teermen. The result is a fine, stout, manly, good- 

 looking race. Their religion and much of their energy and manners 





