1838.] 



lieport on the Mackenzie Alanuscripts, 



321 



Section 10. Account of the Curumbars, and a massacre of them by- 

 treachery. 



Vndev the Bai/ers' government the Curumhai^s ruled in many rlistricts. 

 They constructed forts in various places. They tried to make the 

 Muthaliers aud Vellazhars render them homage, to which the others did 

 not consent ; and the Curumbars in consequence greatly troubled them. 

 Still they did not submit. Accordingly in betel gardens, and in many 

 other places they constructed very low wicket gates,'so that the llindus; 

 coming to them, must be forced to bow on entering. But the Muthaliers 

 and Fellazhars instead of entering head foremost thrust their feet in 

 first, and thus treated the Curumbars with contempt. As the latter 

 had power in their possession, they vexed the said tribes. These at 

 length went to a barber; and, promising a gift of land, asked of him 

 counsel how to destroy the Curumbars. The barber gave them en- 

 couragement : he then went to the houses of all his tribe, and en« 

 gaged their services by promise. It was the custom of the Curum- 

 bars, that, if one of their people died, the whole family should have the 

 head shaved. One of the seniors of the tribe of Curumbars died, 

 and by custom the whole tribe at one time sat down to have their 

 heads shaved. The aforesaid barber, on this occasion, charged all his 

 associates each one to kill his man, which they did by each one cutting 

 the throat of the person shaved. The women, thus suddenly widowed, 

 had a great pile of fire kindled, into which they leaped and died, exe- 

 crating their enemies. The ruins of the Curunibar forts and villages 

 are still visible, being heaps of mould : there are very old wells— some 

 for instance near Sadras j the bricks of these w^ells have an appearance 

 of great antiquity. 



Remark.— What credence is due to the tradition I cannot tell ; if 

 true, it adds another instance to the tragedies consequent to sectarial 

 hatred ; and effected by stratagem, and treachery ; which are numer- 

 ous in this collection. 



Section II. Account of the Wiyalvar^ or Multtli/ar, at Nerva-pal'^ 

 liyam. 



The Curumbars in the time of the Bayers built forts, causeways, &c. 

 In that time these Wiyalvar came from Ayodhya in the north. They 

 brought with them two tutelary goddesses, called Aiigalammai and 

 Wiyalammai together with attendants (as supposed of these idols) 

 These first halted at Firapuram. At that period one Chemiapa 



