1837.] 



and Kunnundaven Mountains. 



29 1 



Climate. — The climate of these regions is very mild and congenial 

 to the health of the inhabitants, the thermometer, during the months 

 of June and July, was never observed to fall below 50 0 or above 75° ;i 

 is, however, said to be extremely cool after the rains in January and 

 February ; the ground is represented as covered in the morning with a 

 hoarfrost and during this season the inhabitants complain of a gues 

 In April, some heavy showers of rain are experienced, ushered in 

 with thunder and lightning, it is, however, warm from March till July, 

 when they have partial showers, which increase daily, with strong 

 bleak westerly winds, with short intervals of fair weather ; till October, 

 during this period they are enveloped in fogs, and the rivers swell in 

 torrents after every shower. The N. E. monsoon, which now sets in 

 with heavy showers of rain^ ceases in the latter part of December, 

 w T hen the bitter cold weather sets in. Unjeenad, however, is on the whole 

 a warmer climate, notwithstanding it experiences the same vicissitudes 

 of the seasons and is more exposed to strong winds blowing down into 

 it from the S. W. 



Origin, Customs and Manners. — The primitive inhabitants residing 

 in these mountains are the Kunnuver Vellalers who resorted to them, it 

 is supposed, about four centuries ago ; they maybe classed with the "V el- 

 lalers of the plain : yet they differ in their habits and manners, scarcely 

 having any intercourse with each other, or forming any connection by 

 maniage; this latter circumstance may however in some degree be at- 

 tributed to the difference of climate, the extreme cold of which the inha- 

 bitants of the low lands are unable to endure. It is still more singular 

 that even among themselves they have peculiar habits and customs, 

 which distinguish those in the east from their western neighbours (the 

 latter consider themselves as something superior), and have no com- 

 munication with each other in marriage. The Kunnuvers of the east 5 

 by way of distinction, invariably use a teakwood stool when performing 

 the marriage ceremony, those to the west are not so particular. The 

 bride and bridegroom are seated on stools, the floor of the house being 

 previously garnished with cowdung, and fantastically ornamented with 

 streaks of flour of corn ; when the operation of sprinkling saffron wa- 

 ter is over, the husband performs the most important part of tying the 

 tally, a small golden ornament, around the neck of the bride, the whole 

 concludes with an entertainment to the relations and friends of both 

 parties. The Puryum, or marriage gift to the relations, of the 

 bride, is a pair of oxen, but to the west a single bullock, or sometimes 

 a cloth is given as a present to the mother of the bride, Incon- 



