196 
ON THE OEIGINAL INHABITANTS 
mountaineers, when they meet their taller but less clever 
neighbours of the plains, display often a spiteful distrust, 
use poisonous arrows and frighten them by their mysterious 
proceedings into abject superstition. This is the reason why 
the Kurumbas of the Nilagiri Hills are so shunned ; and why 
dwarfs in general are treated with suspicion, as is shown by 
the well-known native proverb : " One may trust a thief, 
but not a dwarf." 
When pointing out the different meanings of the word 
palli, I specially drew attention to the fact that it signified 
originally a Dra vidian village or town, and remarkably enough 
the Graudian Kurumbas also possess similar terms, which 
must have been at first applied to their villages. I speak 
of kuricci, a village in mountainous regions, and kurumhu, 
a village situated in desert tracts. 
Moreover to the Dravidian Pallavan, as chief of the Palla 
people, corresponds the Graudian Ki/ruppu, the Km-umba 
headman in the Kurumbaranadu of Malabar. 
On the suB-pivisioNs among the Kurumbas. 
The Kurumbas represent a very numerous community, 
who are subdivided into many classes. Most of these sub- 
divisions indicate either the place of their habitation, or the 
pursuit and profession they follow to gain their liveKhood. 
In some cases these professional terms have become tribal 
names. In the various provinces of the Indian Empire and 
in the different vernaculars of this countrj* distinct names are 
given to the several subdivisions, so that the same class is 
called dift'erently in sundry districts ; the Tamil and Kana- 
rese descriptions differ thus in their nomenclature. 
rear dogs, hunt jackals, iguanas, and wild animals, and live iu the neighbour- 
hood of towns and villages. The women beg, and are s;ud to be great thieves." 
In the last Census Report the Gollas are divided into Erra. Gauda, Kadu, 
Kannadi, Karna, Kuruba, ]\Iushti, Ptija, Pari, Peddeti ;ind Uru Gollas, 
Kurumbas and Yadavulu. The}- are classed as Dr.i vidians, and number 
1,'258,7SG souls. 
