183S.] 



Report on the Maclcenzie Manitscrtpt. 



297 



land for three years ; and so on. A detail of lands, occupied by the two 

 classes of the Velamar, is given : the total number of inhabitants, on 

 these lands, amounted to more than four thousand. They pay extreme 

 honaun to chiefs of districts of the low-country ; especially such as wear 

 white clothes. They were so ignorant of writing, that if any written 

 oMer sealed were Sent from the low-country, they took alam, especially 

 at the seal, and fled. They are now somewhat better informed ; and 

 get persons to tead for them. They have a god, known by the name of 

 Picva-vallana-vevoffu-maHan, and a goddess termed Aijira-vdlH-a'mman. 

 They dig pits, loosely covered over, to catch elephants, and other wild 

 beasts ; and, on having finished the excavation, render homage to the said 

 goddess. If any wild beast do damage to their corn-fields, they pay 

 homao-e to the aforesaid srod, and believe that the beast will be caused to 

 die. They have some peculiar customs at the birth of children. They 

 marry many wives : widows re-marry. Their customs are loose ; and like 

 those of other hill tribes, heretofore specified. They make use of ardent 

 spirits ; and especially at the time of rendering offerings to their gods . 

 They also use the same on occasions of births and funerals. They con- 

 sider themselves dsfiied at susli seasons ; and for certain days, do not 

 enter their houses : fearing that were they to do so, their gods would 

 cause them to die. If any one offend them, they retain a sense of the 

 injury done ; and if they utter any denunciation against the offender they 

 regard it as of certain accomplishment. The dress of these mountaineers 

 is described. They never wear white dresses, and are afraid of such as 

 do wear them. An exception exiss : if any one present them with a 

 white cloth, they tie it round their head, but never around the body. 

 ' EemauK. — This is another instance of mountaineers, not Hinius, who 

 I under various names, and minor differences, have been traced as existing, 

 I in the BaramaU hills, on the Ganges ; in the V'mdliya mountains ; in the 

 I range down the centre of the Mahratta country ; the Ganjam and Kimedy 

 I hills ; the hills of Sri-hari-cota ; the Neilgherries ; the Dindigul hills ; 

 and the *hills of Travancore. 



Sectiofi 5. Account of the fane oi Sancara-narayan svdnit, at Navayi- 

 kiilam, in Travancore. 



The origin is ascribed to a dream of a king, or local chief. There are 

 details concerning offerings and supplies. Some mention of Narnbih'i 



* Licuteuaut V/ard conducted a survey, in this neijjhbouvhood, in 1817, 



