1838.] 



Report on the Mackenzie Manuscripts. 



39 



bundle of straw, and a winnowing fan, who went accompanied by the 

 ^rahnian into the depths of the forest, and putting the straw on the 

 mouth of a hole commenced winnowing, when smoke of continually 

 varying colours arose, followed by bright flame, in the midst of which 

 a monstrous serpent, having seven heads, was seen. The Brahman 

 was speechless with terror at the sight ; and being conducted back by 

 the child, was dismissed, with presents of fruits, and proceeded to the 

 north. This circumstance occurred among the Coya people of the 

 woods, or wilds, to the northward oi Pala-Vamchcha b'hadrdchalam in 

 Sal. Sac. 1635. (A. D. 1712-13). 



The Chenju people live to the westward of Ahobalam, Sri-Silam 

 and other places, in the woods or wilds, and go about constantly car- 

 rying in their hands bows and arrows. They clothe themselves with 

 leaves, and live on the sago, or rice of the bamboo. They rob travellers, 

 Jsilling them if they oppose. " This people afflict every living crea- 

 ture" — (Kill for food is supposed to be meant). 



The Irala people carry bows and arrows, and wander in the forests. 

 They are thieves. The Yanada class alone do not plunder, they are 

 employed as watchmen ; they collect a kind of bark and roots, used 

 for dyeing red, bringing heavy loads, and receive whatever the Sircar 

 is pleased to give in return. They chiefly live on a kind of white 

 root, and wild honey. Sircar employs them as watchmen. In 



the woods near Sri-hdri-cotta there are forty of these Yanadii people 

 (supposed to be heads of families). The Sircar gives to the headman 

 of these people twelve marcals of rice monthly ; in return he delivers 

 sometimes ten bundles (each 500-lbs.) of the dyeing bark. The others 

 who do not carry on this intercourse, live in their own manner in the 

 forest on white roots and honey. This handful of Fdnddu people seem 

 to be comparatively separated ; for if they attempt to hold intercourse 

 with others of that tribe, at a distance, they are killed, and their wives 

 are carried off ; the others hold no intercourse with them. Such, as 

 far as could be obtained is an account of these Ydnddu people obtained 

 from Jdrdmdnidu, as far as he could give information. 



Remark. — This paper was read over by me a year or two since, 

 without any other remark than that there were people in the Peninsula, 

 of whom Europeans had received little or no information. It now at- 

 tracted attention, chiefly from its following the preceding papers, and 

 from wishing to dispose of the entire book No. 31, without need of 

 future reference. But reading it now after having had previously in 

 hand the paper on the Khoi-jati, mountaineers of Goomsoor (Madras 



