34 



Description of the 



[No. 33, 



in part the slight irregularity observ- 

 able. For extraordinary occasions, 

 such as the protection of wrecks, 

 happily of rare occurrence, this Sib- 

 bendy is quite inadequate, and to 

 meet such emergencies a large ad- 

 dition would be requisite, 2 or 3 

 peons among 1,000 men so keen as 

 they are, would be disregarded, and on the occasion of the wreck of 

 the Byramgore the Sibbendy themselves were robbers to a large 

 amount. The only hope is to engage the body of the Islanders in 

 the work of the salvage, and for example's sake to deal with them 

 according to the strictest letter of the law in case of a recurrence of 

 these barbarous practices. The former I have attempted to do by 

 pointing out to them and fully explaining the nature of salvage 

 transactions, and have fully warned them of the severity of the 

 English law in such cases, but with what success remains to be 

 seen ; of this I am convinced, from what I experienced that under the 

 similar circumstances, a small extra Sibbendy would be of little or no 

 value. At present I think that no extra establishment is necessary, 

 and that the Moktessers or head men should be made more use of. 

 Head Inhabi- I" these small islands there are no Potails or heads 

 tants. villages, but their places are supplied in each of the 



islands by the body of Karomars, the hereditary heads of families 

 that formerly paid nazzers regularly for their local honors and privi- 

 leges to the house of Cannanore. Many of their privileges have fallen 

 into disuse, but that of sitting at Jcoots* is one still jealously guarded. 

 In Ameendevy these are 21 in number and divided into 2 classes, 

 in the first are the heads of the 4 principal families of Paudambelly, 

 Poracat, Porart and Beamady, the 17 others, sit at the Icoots and de- 

 cide the petty disputes of the island, but have not so much influence. 

 The Karomars of Ameendevy have considerable influence in the 

 other islands but they too have their Karomars though less numerous- 

 These with the permission of the Monegars or peons assemble Jcoots 

 for the various purposes of internal economy of the islands, as when 

 thefts of fruits are very frequent, to inquire into them and discover 

 the thieves, who before the hoots will generally confess. At certain 

 periods they assemble to settle a day or week for killing rats, or the 

 cocoanui beetle "which are so destructive to the trees in all the islands 



1241. 

 1315. 

 1-J4(;. 

 1247. 

 1248. 

 1249. 

 1250. 

 1251. 

 1252. 



Total. 

 Averasre. 



535 



0 



0 



535 



0 



o 



533 



10 



9 



537 



(j 





.535 



13 



2 



546 



14 



IC 



541 



8 



0 



537 



11 



9 



532 



9 



10 



53.2 



6 



3 



5,358 



4 





535 



13 



3 



* Assemblies. 



