1848.] 



The Neilgherry Mountains. 



61 



Burghers resident on the Neilgherries in December, , has been 

 found by the census to be as follows : — 



Males, 3346 



Females, 3223 



Total Souls. .6569 



including children of both sexes, viz : 



In Todanaad, 2039 



In Parungenaad, 2377 



In Meykenaad, 2153 



Total.. 6569 Souls. 



Thft Erulars. 



The number of this singular tribe is small, 



amounting only to Males, 225 



Females, 236 



Total Souls.. 461 



including children of both sexes. They are found principally in the 

 eastern part of the Hills, where they cultivate the lower slopes, form- 

 ing the broad deep vallies which run in the vicinity of Rungaswamy's 

 Peak towards the plains. They raise crops of raggee, koralley, 

 shamee and mustard seed chiefly, but to no great extent, being very 

 improvident in their arrangements, and eating up all their produce at 

 once, without laying any by for the rainy season, when they subsist 

 chiefly on plantains, jack and other fruits, which they cultivate in 

 patches near their villages, and which thrive in consequence of the 

 lower level on which the Erulars are mostly settled. They also work 

 occasionally as coolies on plantations, preferring employment in the 

 jungle to working in the field, and being expert fellers of trees, 

 Are Priests of Runga- ^^ewers of planks, rafters, &c. They worship 

 the^'?eak Eungaswamy and some other inferior deities, 



and enjoy the high privilege of tending the tem- 

 ple and idol on *' Rungaswamy's Peak," where two or more of their 

 number officiate as priests at the period of the great festival in Au- 

 gust and September, when thousands of Hindoo pilgrims flock to the 

 sacred Peak from all parts of the adjacent country with off'erings of 

 all descriptions of produce, and occasionally money. They pay kist 

 to Government according to the nature and quantity of their crops ; 



