31% CEREMONIES OBSERVED AT THE 



Colaflri on conditioa of paying an annual tribute. The government 

 of the country being then transferred from the Hindus to fanatical 

 Mujfelmans was, during the courfe of 12 years which Ali Raja held it, 

 almoft completely depopulated % murder and rapine prevailed in every 

 quarter, fo that no Hindu remained in it who had the means of getting 

 to Travancore, During this long period, little of the ftipulated tribute 

 bad been paid, an4.Hyder therefore willingly Hftened to propofak 

 made to him by one of the princes of the Colajlri family, (who had 

 been protefled in the Honorable Company's fetdement of Tellichery) /o 

 pay him tribute if reftored to his country. The negociation was car- 

 ried on through Domingos Rodrigues, the Company's linguill, a man 

 of great wealth, who becoming fecurity for the payment of the tribute, 

 the Raja was put in poff^ffion of the Raj/\n lyyO"-/, v.'ith full powers 

 to re-eftablifh the ancient government. This was immediately done ; 

 the exiles were recalled^ and reinftated in their landed property, but the 

 country from fo long a courfe of oppreffion and fpoliation, afforded 

 ilender means of realizing the tribute ; whilft-the refidents, under the 

 name of harcaras, placed with the Raja to receive the tribute, and to 

 obferve and report his a6lions, augmented his dill re fs by their rapaci- 

 oufnefs. The firfL year's tribute was advanced by Domingos RoDaiGi-Rs. 

 but fubfequently the revenues flili continued unequal to the demands 

 on them, and therefore, after the country had been reftored to '-^nie 

 kind of order, the expedient of crowning the fenior Raja, for the pur^ 

 pofe of raifmg money, was refolved on. It is here neceffary tc •:: ^ 

 plain that the law of fucceffion adopted in this family, and indeed - all 

 the Raja families of Mda^ar, is, that the fenior male, by the female line, 

 •facceeds to the firft flation of Colajlri Raja, in whole name the govefn- 

 meot is conda6led by an aSliag Raja whom he appoints, and who >, 

 faSI the ruler, the other after being crowned, retiring to a certain for^ 

 all the enfigns and exterior m'arks of dignity, where he pafl'es his 

 in the perforKaance of religious <:eremon^est What probably xcii^v.:!-^:^ 



