The " Koh" of Chota-Nagpore. 159 



at which they eat, drink, sing, dance and make love, but though the 

 austere " munis" of old must have stood aghast at such wild ebulli- 

 tions of devotion, it is a fact that whilst the mass of the Kols have 

 not taken to the worship of any Hindoo idols, the Hindoos settled 

 in the province think it expedient to propitiate the gods of the 

 Kols. It is gratifying that the darkness in which this primitive and 

 interesting people have so long dwelt, is now being dispelled by a 

 brighter light : that their paganism is at length yielding to the 

 gentle influence of Christian teaching ; that there is abroad amongst 

 them a widespread feeling that a change is necessary, a change more 

 perfect than can be typified by the adoption of a " poita" 



As the Moondahs first settled at Satyomba spread over the country, 

 they formed themselves into communities called Purhas, or the country 

 was divided into Purhas, each consisting of twelve or more villages 

 under a chief. They do not appear in their earlier days to have 

 acknowledged any chief, superior to the head of the Purha ; the 

 ordinary business of the community was conducted by him, and on 

 extraordinary occasions, the Purha chiefs met and took counsel together. 



Vestiges of this ancient system are still met with in many parts 

 of the country. Though ignored as geographical or fiscal or territorial 

 divisions, the Purhas still exist in the eyes of the people, and they 

 still have chiefs whom they call Rajahs, men of influence and weight, 

 who preside when a meeting is called to adjudicate regarding breaches 

 of social observances, and who take the lead on the great hunting 

 expeditions and national festivals. 



It is said that the Moondahs were in a very wild state, occupying 

 but a small portion of the plateau, when the Oraons, driven from the 

 Rhotas hills, swarmed into the country, and sought and obtained 

 permission to occupy it jointly with the Moondahs. Both Moondahs 

 and Oraons declare there was on this occasion no fighting. The 

 former were glad to obtain assistance in reclaiming the country they 

 had adopted, and the Oraons are said to have come with large herds 

 of cattle and implements of husbandry previously unknown to the 

 Moondahs. 



It is probable that the Moondahs of those days were not more 

 advanced than are to this day their brethren, the hill Korewahs of 

 $irgoojah, a tribe that know not the use of the plough : but they 



