148 ^Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. [June, 



Report by the Commissioner of Coorg on the Cromlechs of that 

 Province. 



Mr. Mulheran writes, — I have just received your letter of the 17th 

 ultimo, and hasten to mention that Colonel Thuillier wrote to me upon 

 the same subject, and that I at once replied to his letter and forwarded 

 the photographs referred to by Mr. Bay ley. I also furnished such in- 

 formation as it was in my power to afford, but avoided the question raised 

 at home by Mr. Marcus Keane, M. R. I. A., regarding the whole of these 

 ancient remains, crosses included, being Bhuddist in origin. As re- 

 gards the Cromlechs themselves, I believe Mr. Keane to be perfectly 

 correct, the majority of the massive stone temples and other ancient 

 structures found within a radius of 200 miles of the crosses, being 

 similar to the Bhuddist Thakurdwaras of the snowy range, as regards 

 the extreme grossness of the subjects represented. As regards the 

 crosses being also Bhuddist in origin, Mr. Keane must be mistaken, 

 as no instance can be cited either in India or at home, or indeed in 

 any part of the world of a memorial cross ever having been erected, 

 except as a symbol of the Christian faith. Apart from this, the 

 whole of the Katapur crosses, as you will see from the enclosed photo- 

 graphs, are of the Latin form.* 



As regards the people by whom these crosses were erected, the ques- 

 tion is one of great difficulty, the people, living in the vicinity, being 

 utterly ignorant of the symbol itself, and incapable of affording even 

 traditionary information. From what I have myself seen of the 

 neighbourhood of Katapur and tbe open glades in the forest to the 

 west, I have not the slightest doubt that, at some former period, the 

 whole of these cleared portions of the forest were extensively culti- 

 vated by Teligus, or some other race far more civilized than the present 

 race of Gronds. Indeed, the large tank a few miles west of Katapur, 

 which irrigates extensive fields of rice, is one proof of this, as are also 

 other large tanks east, west, and north of Katapur, the skill and 

 labour evinced in which would do credit to Engineers of the present 

 day. If, therefore, it can be shown that there are reasons for believing 

 that a considerable portion of the country now overrun with forest, was 

 formerly cultivated by a race differing from the Gonds, and that the 

 massive stone temples in all stages of decay were erected by them, there 

 * See Proc. April, 1868, p. 116. 



