183S.] 



Report on the Mackenzie Manuscripts. 



24i 



had a daughter ; who arriving at maturity, was according to the custom 

 of his caste, taken to some distance in the country ; where a cottage was 

 prepared for her reception. The aforesaid Virapeti's foster father, it 

 seems was appointed to guard the cottage ; and whether this circum- 

 stance arose from its being the office of a low caste man, or from any 

 other cause, does not appear. But on a very tempestuous night the man 

 sent his foster-son in his place ; and, on account of the weather, the 

 chiefs daughter invited the guard inside to take shelter ; which incident 

 "brought on a mutual affection between the parties. After her return to 

 the palace, Virapen mingled with beggars who went thither ; and, being 

 recognized by the chiefs daughter, signs passed between them; the 

 consequence of which was a night elopement. They halted at a certain 

 distance, and in the morning Bomma nayah pursued: Virapen with some 

 attendants met the chief with his attendants ; the latter together with 

 the chief were slain, in consequence of Virapen^ s superior skill in the use 

 of arms. Virapen then proceeded to Trichinopoly ; and took service as a 

 soldier, under the governor of that fortress ; who was subordinate to 

 Tirumala Nayah of Madura. The latter writing to the governor, that the 

 intermediate road was much beset, and molested, by the Kallars, the 

 governor sent Virapen with troops, and some previous marks of honour, to 

 clear the country of the robbers ; a service v/hich he effected. At one 

 time a mob of those people, amounting to a thousand persons, rushed un- 

 expectedly into the fort of Madura, and Virapen here also was directed to 

 clear the fort. In the fane of MinacsM, a female servant was employed 

 named Vellai-ammai ; with whom Virapen formed an acquaintance ; and, 

 on coming out of the fane in the night, he was caught by peons, and re- 

 ported as a plunderer to the king, who directed his arms, and legs, to be 

 cut off. When Tirumala Nayah discovered who was the sufferer ; and 

 that he had so mutilated the bravest of his servants, he was sorry; and 

 besought Mindcshi to restore again his deficient limbs ; which, according 

 to the poem, took place ; whereupon Virapen vowed to become a devotee 

 to Minacshi. In pursuance of this object he proceeded to a mango-grove, 

 on the other side of the Vaigai river ; and, there having a sacrificial-pit 

 prepared, he burnt alive both Bommi the chief's daughter, and Vellai" 

 ammai the more recent acquaintance. To complete the tragedy he came 

 to the fane of Mindcshi ; 2.nd, fixing a pillar in front of it, there cut his own 

 throat ; and in such a way, according to the poem, that his head rolled to 

 the door of the shrine (in the usual mode of a sacrifice to Cali a synony- 

 mous name in effect with Mindcshi). Soon after, in the night, his spectre 

 went to the palace of Tirumala Nayah ; and there cut the throats of 

 elephants, and horses ; it then proceeded to the very sleeping room of 



