202 0N ORISSA PROPER 



stantly sustaining the m ost bloody battles with the Moguls, and it may be 

 doubted whether they were not superior to any infantry which the Berar 

 Marhattas ever brought into the field during their government of the pro- 

 vince. 



Exclusive of the regular Ooria population of the Brahminical persuasion, 

 there are three remarkable races inhabiting the hilly region (noticed above 

 under the general designation of Pulinda or barbarous mountaineers) which 

 merit a separate description in this place, I mean the Coles, Kands and 

 Sours. They are quite distinct, the two former at least, in language, fea- 

 tures, manners, and religion from the Hindus of the plains, and the sup- 

 position seems plausible that their ancestors may have been the aborigi- 

 nal inhabitants of the country, prior to the arrival of the Brahmin colonists 

 from the north who now possess India. No such tradition or belief how- 

 ever exists in the province. These three tribes should perhaps be consi- 

 dered merely as branches of the same original stock, but as the offsets, if 

 such they are, are found under different names and circumstances in differ- 

 ent parts of the province, it will be convenient to mention them separately. 



The Coles are divided into thirteen different tribes, viz. Kol, Lurka-ko], 

 Chowang, Sarvanti, Dhurowa, Bahuri, Bhunian or Bhumiah, Khan- 

 dwal, Santal, Sour, Bhiimij, Batholi and Amavat. Their original coun- 



try is said to be Kolant Des, which the natives describe as a hilly tract 

 lying between Moherbanj, Sinhbhum, Jynt, Bony e, Keonj her and Dal- 

 bhum. They have however for many years gained possession of parts 



of Chota Wagpore, Jaspur, Tymar, Patcura and particularly of 

 Sinhbhum ; their encroachments upon Moherbanj have been felt as seri- 

 ous ; some tribes (the Bhuniahs) are found settled in the back parts of 

 Nilgiri, and from their restless disposition and constant endeavours to 

 extend their possessions, they have proved troublesome neighbours even 

 to the powerful Keonj her Raja. The Coles are a hardy and athletic race, 

 black and ill favored in their countenances, ignorant and savage to 

 the last degree? but their houses, built entirely of wood, are said to exhibit 



