98 



The Antiquities of the 



[No. 32, 



Cairn Hilly The position of this stone, the existence of a circle of 

 stones environing its base, traced with difficulty amongst the ferns 

 and high grasses, as well as the presence of several slabs resting 

 against the rock, induced me to believe that the latter had once been 

 consecrated and made to subserve the purpose of an altar or sacred 

 mound. As I stood upon it, I took notice that upon the bank of the 

 stream underneath lay, sequestered by high banks and depending 

 trees, a mass of stones evidently put together by the hand of man. 

 Curious to examine the heap, I descended, and discovered indica- 

 tions of ancient buildings having once been there. 



Thus encouraged I extended my researches, and found similar 

 mounds at the base of the lawn as far as where the stream takes a 

 new direction to the East. I now returned and traced the ruins 

 through the wood. At the North end of it I emerged upon a flat 

 lying between the stream and the fortified hill. At this place the an- 

 tiquities assumed a more important character, presenting long rows 

 of ruined walls forming streets, and square foundations of buildings. 

 Some of the streets opened upon the stream, others lay parallel to it. 

 Many of the heaps and mounds were higher than the rest, all being 

 covered with loose stones and vegetable soil : the latter manifesting 

 their extreme age. Apprehensive that " the wish might prove fa- 

 ther to the thought," and these mounds turn out to be diluvial or 

 fluviatine deposits, I resolved to ascertain by the strictest scrutiny 

 whether my first conjecture was correct ; and accordingly opened two 

 of the mounds, one at the end and forming part of a street, and the 

 second detached. The bases of both proved to be foundations of 

 regularly built walls, the superstructure having fallen down in heaps. 

 The extent of these ruins from North-east to South-west is hardly 

 less than half a mile ; in breadth they are inconsiderable, owing to the 

 narrowness of the valley. The position of the forts imports that they 

 were erected to protect the town and the sacred places adjoining. 



This place is seated nearly in the centre of the Neilgherries. No 

 ruins of the same extent have been discovered here. From these and 

 other considerations I conclude, that at a very remote period, upon this 

 spot stood the capital of the ancient Thautawar people. The ques- 

 tion now arises, were the Pandaver, or the Thautawars the first 

 here ? 



My Thautawar informant, alluded to in a former chapter, distinct- 

 ly stated the Pandaver were first here, an assertion lending- counte- 

 nance to my surmise of a colony of ancient Scythians having invaded 



