I83S0 Report on the Mackenzie Manuscripts. 



11 



tection, and gave a maintenance to the troops that kept it from the pro* 

 ceeds of the land. 



After the assumption of the country by the Honorable Company^ 

 that allowance was discontinued, and the fort now only remains. We 

 continue to cultivate the ground, and pay tribute to the Company, like 

 others, sometimes by direct tax- to Government, and sometimes by an 

 intermediate lease to farmers. There are two old fanes, one Saiva, one 

 Vaishnava, in the neighbourhood.— Some other unitaiportant details of 

 fanes, sacred pools, &c. at the close of the document. 



i?em«r;^— Compared with other papers, the opening portion of this sec- 

 tion may throw a ray of light additional on the state of the Carnatic 

 under the early Maht)medan, or else the Vijayanagara, government. 

 The narrative implies its having been written down from the oral com- 

 munication of villagers, apparently of the Vellala, or agricultural 

 class : claiming by tradition a descent from persons who emigrated 

 hither from Sri'Sailmn in the north* 



Section 9.— An account of Fundi a Jaina fane in the Arnee districts 



This is a shrine of Arhat of the Jainas, of great consequence. The 

 |>aper commences with a poetical description of the paradise in the midst 

 of which it was built. The occasion was the following. Two V edars 

 (of the tribe of wild hunters') one named Irumhan, the other Pandan, 

 came thither in order to dig up an edible kind of root. There was an 

 ascetic who, like Valmica, was doing penance in a white-ant hill, 

 when these hunters, in digging, struck him on the breast with their im- 

 plement. The hunters afraid shaded the spot with branches, and daily 

 brought to the ascetic, who was named TeUu-mani-nathar, offerings of 

 honey, flour, fruits, and roots. After doing so for a long time, aUothei^ 

 Muni came thither named Sdmayn-nathatf on seeing whom the Vedars 

 became almost lifeless through dread, but on his manifesting tokens o^ 

 favour they recovered self-possession. The Fec?ar5 said to him "there 

 is a god like to yourself itt our quarter.^* The Muni, being rejoiced, bid 

 them shew him where, which they speedily did with great reverence. 

 Under his instructions the foundations of a shrine to Arhat were laid 

 with the prescribed ceremonies. The two Vedars afterwards hastily 

 ran away, taking with them their bows arid arrows, to the Rayer^ to 

 whom they reported that they brought good news, which would remove 

 his troubles. On the Rayer enquiring what it was, Puridan reminded 

 him of a promise from him of giving even to the extent of half his do- 

 minions, if an evil-ispirit which posisessed hiis sister, and which had 



