144 
ON THE OEIGINAL INHABITANTS 
The Koragas. 
A greater dissimilarity can hardly exist between two 
tribes than is found between the Kodagas of Kurg and the 
Koragas of Kanara, though both belong to the same Graudian 
race. The free and independent bearing of the Kodaga 
stands in glaring contrast to the shy and retiring demeanour 
body. . Their complexion is rather fair, their features generally regular. . . 
The national character of the Coorgs is perhaps tolerably well understood by 
the people of the plains, who look upon them as a fierce, irascible and revenge- 
ful race, not easily to be managed . . . They have a strange and noxious 
custom, a kind of marriage-communism within the family. The wives of the 
brothers of one house are considered as common property. The children 
consequently are rather children of the family, or of the mother, than of the 
acknowledged father . . . Among the Coorgs the family property descends 
accordingly not so much from father to son, as from generation to generation, 
the eldest member acting as head of the house. . In former days there was 
another way, my informant told me, for contracting marriage, besides family 
agreement. Two young people of the same (district) ISTadu, would see each 
other, and without asking counsel of parents or friends, agree upon a union 
for life. Such a covenant would be held sacred. Unfaithfulness in the case 
of such partners was a thing unheard of." Read also Mr. Lewis Rice's 
Gazetteer ofCoorg, pp. 93, 3., 203, 218, 254. Compare Mr. Richter'sJ(';i;;o,7?-(r- 
phical Compendium, p. 2 : " There can be no doubt that however varied the 
population of Coorg may be, the dominant tribe, the Coorgs, as well as the 
other Hindu castes and tribes of the country belong to the Dravidian race. 
. . .As to their physiognomy and bodily characteristics, essentially there seems 
to be no difference other than what may be accounted for by civilization and 
social institutions. The shape of their heads is clearly m^so-cephaJic and 
orthognatus with less or more prominent cheek-bones and oval or pointed 
faces." P. 3: "As to traditional habits and customs amongst the people of Coorg 
there is a groat similitude to the usages among the other Dravidian races, 
modified of course by the difference of climate and civilizing influences." P.19 : 
. . I'he Coorgs or Kodagas, as they are properly called, are the principal inha- 
bitants of the country, and from time immemorial the lords of the soil. For 
the last two centuries the}' are Icnown as a compact body of moimtaineers who 
resemble more a Scotch clan than a Hindu caste. . . However, the peculiar 
character att^iched to them is doubtless the result of physical ;ind political cir. 
cumstances in which they were placed. They are a tribe more from position 
than genealogy and cannot be said to be of distinct origin. In the Hindu 
scale they ai'e considered as Sudnis. By the force of local circimistances 
they became like other pre-Ai'van hill tribes hunters and warriors and 
were brought into historical prominence through the chi-\-alrous exploits 
of theii- Raja Dodda 'N'erajendcr in his struggle with Tijtpu Sultan for 
independence and his alliance with the English, and again through the 
insane hostility of the last Raja and the short invasion and annexation 
of the country by the English in 1834. Now the Cooigs .ai-e peaceful 
agriculturists and chiefly fill the offices of the local administration and 
