1838.] 



Report on the Mackenzie Manuscripts, 



333 



had appeared. In later days a Poligar built a town near the place ; 

 and, at a still later period, Kothaiverma-raja built a town and a fort 

 in the neighbourhood. 



Legend of a place where a fair, or general market of commodities, 

 used to be held, but long since disused. It is to the south of the last 

 mentioned town called Cambam, and south of the river Surah' hi. The 

 legend amounts to little or nothing: but the situation on the borders of 

 the ancient Pandiya, and Chera, countries throws a feeble gleam of 

 light on the extensive commerce which anciently took place between 

 those countries, encouraged by the intercourse of European traders, 

 with the Western coast,. 



Legend of Pashu-mali or the cow-mountaifi. 



A cow-herd, not finding food for his cattle, drove them to the foot- 

 of this hill : and then, ascending it, chose a cool station for rest. 

 One cow strayed a long way from the herd, and at a forest-pool met 

 a hungry tiger. The cow pleaded that it wanted to go and suckle its 

 calf, and after the^ security of an oath that it would return, the tiger 

 permitted it to go. The cow went for its calf, and met a snake by 

 the way, to whom it told the tale, it then brought its calf, and the 

 snake to the tiger ; but the tiger struck with such a display of veracity 

 refused the meal. The cow remonstrated in vain. At length Siv'^ 

 came by, disguised as a firaAwaw, when the cow ran at him ; but evad- 

 ing, he. disappeared, and returning with Parvati and the thirty-three 

 erores of celestials, he gave beatitude to the cow, to its calf, and to 

 the snake. The mountain acquired th« name of Pashu-mali. (This 

 inane legend is either purely such, tasking credulity to the utmost, 

 or else it is a fable, couching some other circumstances under the 

 veil of symbols ; but if so, there is no clue to the precise meaning). 



Copy of an inscription on the fane of Kudal Alagiya Perumal, in the 

 Bindigul district. 



Dated in Sal. Sac. 1591, Collam era 844, gift of land, by one named 

 Kulasec^hara Perumal, with a strict injunction that the gift be not pei> 

 verted to any other use, than the service of the said fane. 



End of Book No. 3. 



General Remark.— It was not my intention to take up the accounts 

 of Southern Poligars, or local legends, at so early a period ; but 

 _^this book was found to be in so pitiable a plight from the paleness of 



