1839.] Report on the Mackenzie Manuscripts. 



29 



Manuscript book, No. 7— Countermark 903. 



Section 4. — Genealogical account ot the Nayar of Cavalapa-nad in 

 Malayalam. 



The introductory matter is legendary, and has been before adverted 

 to (See 3rd Report). 



A woman was delivered of a female child near the hermitage of a 

 rishi, who took compassion on it, though it whs of outcaste origin. But. 

 in consequence of some oracular communication that this child would 

 become his wife, the rishi indignantly flung it into a river : down which 

 it floated ; until it attracted the compassion of a Brahman woman, who 

 took it and reared itas her own. After some time, when her prote»ee 

 was drying her hair, after bathing, the Brahman woman discovered that 

 her elevee was of an outcaste tribe, and drove her away. The banished - 

 one wandered about : and, in process of time, had twelve children by 

 different persons, each of which children was abandoned, and reared by 

 foster parents : the several children being adopted into the tribe of the 

 persons bringing them up. Among these children were C nnaren, and 

 Raman : who became, headmen of a district, and the ancestors of the 

 Nayars of Cavalapa-nad- Their line of descendants, divided into four 

 lineages, is given. In some cases where chit lien failed, others were 

 adopted. The rule of the four lines seems to have been over an exten- 

 sive tract of country. A few details are given ; but it is stated that in 

 times of foreign invasion, some records were lost. Account of expenses 

 incurred at the installation of a Nayar. A list of towns, or villages, 

 forming a district. Several inhabitants, as settlers, were allowed for a 

 time .to clear, and cultivate ground, rent-free : but afterwards paying a 

 tax. An account of interference from the Cochin, an 1 Travancore, 

 rajas appears. Afterwards Hyder Ali gave trouble. The English are 

 mentioned; and especially the name of Governor Duncan, of Bombay. The 

 English opposed Hyder Ali. From the time of Tippu Sultan, the district 

 came into the possession of the Honourable Company. The situation of the 

 district is, I understand, midway between the former possessions of th* 

 Cochin, and Calicut, rajas. 



Remark.— The other papers in this book are noticed, in the preced- 

 ing Tamil portion of this report (which see). In point of condition this 

 paper is in better order than any other one in the book. With ordinary 

 care it will continue legible for several years : and. si net 1 such i- the 

 case, the contents do not seem to be of such importance as to require 

 restoration at the present time. 



