1837.] 



Khoonds of the Goomsoor Mountains. 



are the Todars. The comparison* of language however, so far as I have 

 been able to effect it, has not much assisted any such conclusion. The 

 Khoonds have words which are of antique, pure, and high Tamil ; such 

 words are favourable to an ancient origin of their tongue. If at an early 

 period they were driven to take refuge in mountain-fastnesses, by reason 

 of nomadic hordes of foreigners taking possession of the low-lands, 

 then they might very probably carry with them the ancient general dia- 

 lect of the low country. I have some reasons for such an opinion, 

 founded on documents not yet before the public ; but the most I can 

 here do is to throw out the question for further consideration and in- 

 vestigation. 



The second topic of attention is the manners, and rites, of this singu- 

 lar people. A brief extract from Mr. Stevenson's letter to the Editor 

 of this Journal may perhaps best introduce this part of the subject. 



" I must quite give up all hopes of being able to compile anything 

 connected with the Khonds, &c. I have in vain attempted to find 

 time to translate the enclosed memorandum, which are answers to que- 

 ries put from time to time by me : you will have no difficulty in getting 

 them translated,and if worth anything they can be made use of— the small 

 Vocabulary is, I think correct— the account of the Merria or human 

 sacrifice is also correct — but this I gave to Mr. Russell with a request 

 that if he did not wish to incorporate it in his Report he would send it 

 to you. If you think it worth while you might procure his consent to 

 publishing it—to which, as he has finished his report, he would not pro- 

 bably object. The form of oath in their own language is curious and 

 striking — these notes may assist you, or others who have collected ma- 

 terials, in drawing up a short memoir." 



The memorandum to which Mr. Stevenson alludes, is a Telugu paper, 

 rather in a Cutcherry hand-writing. It illustrates some ot the curious 

 peculiarities of the Khoonds. I have made with some care, and here 

 present the following 



(translation). 

 The customs of the race of people called Codulu. 



1. The mode of celebrating marriages. — Some of the relatives of 



* After the above had been forwarded to the Editor of this Journal, that gentleman 

 was so hind as to send me the first part of a Vocabulary by Reverend B. Schmid of the 

 language of the Todars and Burghers (or rather Vadagars) of the Neilgherries. ' The 

 perusal did not add much to resemblances of the Khoond dialect, but the materials on 

 either hand are not full. The Todar language has some few Tamil roots, the Burgher 

 dialect is full of Tamil words. The Todar dialect indicates great antiquity, and deriva- 

 tion, I am almost positive, from the Canarese, probably Hala Kanada. — The speech of the 

 Vadagars (or northerns ?) is much more modern— that word at Madras designates the 

 people of Telingana ; but being merely a relative term, it may have been used to desig- 

 nate a people who emigrated from some district, or country, north only of the Neilgher- 

 ries. W. T. 



