1848.] 



The Ncilgherry Mountains. 



69 



Such contradictory statements, however, are made by the Burghersk^ 

 some asserting that they are quite contented to contribute the " goo- 

 doo," and have no desire to be relieved from it, while others murmur 

 against its imposition in addition to that of the government assess- 

 ment, that it is most difficult to discover what their real sentiments 

 upon the subject are — or indeed upon any other in which their inter- 

 ests are, however remotely, concerned. 



Transfers of land by ^ remark in connection with the question 

 the Burghers. goodoo" that when the Burghers make 



transfers of land, within the limits of what they term their territory, 

 to European settlers and others, no stipulation is ever made for a con- 

 tribution to the Todars, of a portion of whatever produce may be rais- 

 ed by the purchaser; nor do the Todars themselves ever come for- 

 ward to urge such a claim, or to remonstrate against such alienations 

 of their rights and property. 



Many of the Burghers are said to be (for natives) very wealthy, 

 and this circumstance perhaps has induced, amongst many of them, 

 habits of sloth and sensuality inimical to their moral or physical im- 

 provement; but nevertheless, when viewed in comparison with other 

 tribes of Hindoos, they cannot be pronounced pre-eminently indolent, 

 or degraded in their habits. They are utterly illiterate, and their ig« 

 norance of the accomplishments of reading and writing are transmit- 

 ted to their children, since schools for their education are unknown 



The Burghers Hindoos amongst them. Their religion is Hindoo, and 

 of the Siva sect. jj^gy the Siva sect, their principal deity 



however being Rungaswamy, whose temple is situated on the summit 

 of Rungaswamy's Peak," the easternmost point of the Neilgherries, 

 and in addition to w^hom they also worship many other inferior divi- 

 nities, male and female. 



There are several subordinate sects amongst the Burghers, the 

 chief of which is that of the " Aroovurs," who assume to be Brahmins, 

 and wear the sacerdotal string over the shoulder ; next the Sivachar- 

 ries, the Wodiars, Kunukars, Burghers and Toriars — the last being the 

 lowest caste amongst the tribe, and generally the poorest. Their cere- 

 monies of marriage and burial do not differ essentially from those 

 observed amongst the Hindoo tribes in the plains, and such diiferences 

 as exist are only under the first head, and are chiefly remarkable for 



Very superstitious and i"delicacy, and not worthy of notice. The 



Burghers are a most superstitious timid race, 



