1848.] The Neilgherry Mountains. .81 



coming to them of the Todars, for as no coins or inscriptions or even 

 hieroglyphics have been found in any of the cairns, or on their con- 

 tents, there exists no evidence whatever by which inquiry could be 

 guided into the right course. 



With the Todars then commences the only (partially) known his- 

 tory of the Neilgherries. 



At the time of their immigrating, they probably found no aborigi- 

 nal inhabitants settled on them, and seeing, in the solitary and inac- 

 cessible character of the mountain region which they had discovered, 

 a fitting spot for the undisturbed exercise of their singular religion, 

 and peculiar pastoral habits — for the former of which they had possi- 

 bly endured persecution amongst the tribes of the plains — they deter- 

 mined on permanently occupying it. Ages, according to their belief, 

 must have passed while they remained in undisturbed possession of 

 the Hills, extending over such a space of time, that they express their 

 The comin"- of the Ko- belief that the founders of their tribe were creat- 

 thers to°the Hills. ^n them ; until at length a small band of Ko- 



thers found their way up from the plains, and besought permission to 

 till certain tracts of land which they indicated. From this era may be 

 said to have commenced the self arrogated sovereignty of the Todars 

 over the land forming the plateau of the Neilgherries, as, conceding 

 the privilege sought for by the new comers, they stipulated that a 

 certain proportion of all the grains which they might produce from 

 the soil, should be annually presented to them as " goodoo" or tribute, 

 in acknowledgement of their feudal right over the territory. Not long 



The coming of the after this, and according to their traditions, 3 or 

 Burghers. ^ centuries ago, a party of " Burghers," or 



*' Buddughurs" emigrated from the " North country," (probably the 

 Northern part of Mysore and Canara,) and came to the Neilgherries ; 

 and being good cultivators, at once perceived the advantages offered 

 to them in the virgin and rich soil which they saw on all sides. They 

 accordingly appear to have obtained permission to settle and culti- 

 vate land, upon the same terms as those granted to the Kothers, and 

 inviting more of their brethren to join them, they soon swelled into a 

 numerous tribe and spread over the Hills, constructing their villages, 

 and enclosing their fields (and doubtless clearing away much forest) 

 in all directions. I can find no evidence of any sovereign ruler hav- 

 ing been acknowledged amongst the Hill people, until about a century 

 before the reign of Hyder Ally in Mysore, when according to the tales 

 The 3 princes or chiefs ^^e Kothers and Burghers, there were 3 princes 

 of tL Neilgherries. ^.^j^fg ^^y^^ j^^.^ g^^^y o^g^. ^^vem, one in To- 



danaad who resided in a fortress called MuUaycotta, the walls and 

 ditch of which still exist on a Hill to the eastward of the village of 



VOL, XY. No XXX17. ^ 



