298 



Report 071 the Mackenzie Manuscripts* 



[Oct. 



hieropliants. Sandal trees grow around the fane ; and a special reference 

 thereto is required before felling them. 

 Remark. — This section is unimportant. 



There follows copy of the journal of Nitala-N array an^ the Brahman 

 employed by Col. Mackenzie to make researches in Travancore, and the 

 Malaij dl a cowatry. It notices his leaving Dindigul, and proceeding, by 

 way of Madura. A description is given of the localities, and antique 

 remains, at this place ; with the addition that he had no time to look into 

 books, or ancient records. Notice is given of the village, and fane, of Sk- 

 brahmant/a, at Sicandar-mali ; and of a remarkable tank near at hand. In 

 like manner a journal is continued through the districts of ioxmer palliij a - 

 carers, with descriptive remarks, and occasional anecdotes. The Tamra- 

 parni river, and Tinnevelly, have some passing notice. The journal 

 continues till his arrival. It is superficial. I notice it, only because it 

 cannot long continue any wise legible. Such journals I have not usually 

 deemed matter either of abstract, or restoration ; and this one, even were 

 it of importance, could "not be effectively re-copied. This journal is not 

 noticed in the English index of contents ; nor in the copy of it contained 

 in the Des. Catal. vol. 2. p. cii. ciii. 



Next follows the remains of paper, now sieve-like ; from which it can 

 be seen that the list of rajas of Travancore, marked in the D. Catal. as 

 section 6, would have been derivable. As far as this once existing record 

 is concerned, their names are departed for ever. The like fate has attend- 

 ed sections 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 : which, from the entry of titles in the Des. 

 Catal. (no longer legible in the book itself), I should not judge to have 

 been of consequence. What follov/s happened to be written on thin 

 China paper ; which, though torn and injured by insects, is j-et on the 

 whole legible. 



Section 12. Account of Ariya-nad in the Travancore countiy. 



In this district there w^ere anciently many merchants, who carried on a 

 brisk trade with others in the old Pandiya kingdom. An anecdote is 

 given of ^w/a-^ec'/jarfl! Pemwe^ of Travancore^who put to death several 

 of his cousins. A conspiracy was formed against him, in consequence : of 

 wdiich being infoimed, he conducted himself as though he were quite 

 ignorant of the matter ; but took occasion to go to Trivandrum, where he 

 invited the conspirators to a feast, the viands of which w'ere poisoned in 

 order to destroy them. A son of his escaped to the Madura country. A 

 successor imitated him in cruelty ; and an instance, in the case of a mer- 



