1847.] 



Neilgherry Hills, S^c. 



the sculptured figures in the caves of the Buddhists and on the tem- 

 ples of the Jains. I have taken a drawing of the sculptures of this 

 stone as being the most characteristic. 



Fourth Stone. — Has one line of three figures graven upon it, the 

 centre is a male form dragging along or holding a horse, and his 

 head is encircled with a glory. 



When I recollect, the general opinion of the Thautawars being 

 the aborigines of these hills ; and that their religion is Scythicism, 

 as well as their own tradition of having once been subjugated by 

 foreigners; when I recall to mind the tradition of the Pandaver 

 having in past times inhabited the Neilgherries ; and that the nearest 

 and most ancient road from the country of Pandya to the summit of 

 the hills runs close by the village of Achenny where the Cromlechs 

 stand; at the same time knowing that these structures must have 

 belonged to a people whose religion was Scythicism or Druidism 

 such as that of the Thautawars : I cannot dismiss the idea that, 

 inspired by the proximity of their most holy temples and altars, the 

 ancestors of this people here made a stand against the invaders but 

 were defeated by them : and I believe that the Pandyan conquerors, 

 who were Jains, desecrated the temples of the mountaineers by grav- 

 ing upon them a record of their victory. 



I should observe that a resemblance subsists in many respects 

 between the figures of the sculptured stones and the images in potte- 

 ry found in the cairns of the " middle period." 



Eastward two miles from the village of Achenny lies the ruined 

 Fort of Adi-Raer-Cottay, situated on a small table land and seques- 

 tered by hills clothed with jungle. The position is strong, being 

 nearly environed with a morass, and stream running along the chan- 

 nel of a deep fissure in the ground. The remains of the Fort indi- 

 cate it was originally constructed of earth in some places, and in 

 other parts of uncemented stones. In shape it is an oblong, the 

 longer side measuring one hundred paces, the shorter fifty-three, and 

 consisting of a double line of works one within the other, the space 

 between the two occupying twenty-five paces in breadth. The re- 

 mains of two square towers are visible adjoining the outer line, one 

 seated on the west face and the other on the south ; the gateway pro- 

 bably ran under the former. 



Within the inner walls I found some remains of stone buildings, 

 consisting of large blocks and flags unwrought, and two upon which 



Q 



