1839] 



On the Statistics of Dukhun. 



395 



tainly not very efficient, as it is dependent on the wind blowing. In 

 case the wind blows very hard, the grain is blown away ; and in case 

 the wind is not strong enougli, the husks fall with the grain, A man 

 stands upon a tall three-legged form, called the Wuwhre:', and pours the 

 grain taken up from the treading ground, out of the winnowing basket 

 {oopunwuiee). The full grain fcdls perpendicularly and is pretty free 

 from husks, but the lighter grain falls obliqutdy, and is partially mixed 

 •with the busies. A man sits at the base of the stool or form with a 

 broom (aafueej in his hand to assist in removmg the chaff from the edges 

 of the mass of fallen grain. After all is done, however, it is requisite to 

 pass a good proportion of the grain through the sieve {Chalun). After 

 the grain is winnowed it is carried home and laid in store. 



Preserving Grain. — There are various ways of preserving the grain, 

 "Where the soli is sufficiently dry, chambers are dug in the earth for it; 

 but the most usual plan in the districts is to preserve it in hirge baskets, 

 called Kuneeng, made of twigs of the Neergoondee, {Vi^ex tr'foUa,) or 

 of those of the Tooree, {Cytisus cajan). These baskets are plastered with 

 cow-dung inside and out, and are perfectly impervious to rain or damp. 

 "Where the habitations are sufficiently large, or the baskets few in num- 

 ber, they are lodged in the house, but not unfrequently are placed outside 

 of the house within reach of any pilfering hand. A few stones are put 

 under each basket ; the lid, in case it has a lid, is sealed down wiih cow- 

 dung, and in case it has not a lid, a plaster of cow-dung a couple of 

 inches thick is put over the grain ; a little cap, or roof of grass, is put 

 over the basket, and it is left exposed till required, being deemed equally 

 protected from the elements and man. In the Mawuls, in the hot 

 months, the whole of the grain baskets of the villag'% full of grain, may 

 be seen assembled in front of the village, temple, and left to the custody 

 of the village god. The roofs of all the houses are of grass in the 

 Mawuls, and the dread of fires (the people having no chimneys to their 

 houses) induces tltem to put their monsoon and winter stores in a place 

 of safety, the extreme dryness of the period rendering accidents by fire 

 frequent. It is not an unfrequent practice with the Koonbees of the 

 Mawuls to unroof their houses for the months of April and May. 



In addition to the baskets for the preservation of grain, earthen jars, 

 called ..Zo^/iee, made by the people themselves, are met with to hold 

 grain, but they are not common. 



Preparivg Grain for Food. — The preparation of grain for food is the 

 last process. Husk grains, such as rice, Wuree, ( Pan'cnm miliare) \ 

 and Sawa, (Panicum frinneyitaceum) ; and the Johr, or husked wheat, 

 require to be pounded to remove the husks. This process is entirely 



