« 
56 
A JOURNEY FROM MADRAS THROUGH 
Appearance 
of the coun- 
try. 
CHAPTER, huts about the suburbs. A Brahman is considered as polluted by 
merely walking through such a place. 
Flower Although the Nerium odorum is very common by the sides of 
guldens. rivers in most parts of the Mysore dominions, I found a garden 
here, of about an acre in extent, which was planted with nothing 
else. The flowers are dedicated to the temple, and a garland- 
maker is paid by a merchant to gather them for the use of the. 
god. This is one of the deeds called charity by the Hindus . This 
plant has usually been taken for the oleander, which, I believe, is 
not a native of India. 
1 th May. — I went to Mundium , through a country free from, 
hills, but of which not more than one half is arable. Much of it, 
however, might be rendered so without difficulty. The soil is in 
general poor. The waste land is occupied by brushwood, and many 
places are covered with the Phoenix farinifera , Roxb. among which 
are some trees of the wild date. 
It is reported, that this tree was formerly very common ; but 
Tippoo, observing that his subjects frequently intoxicated themselves 
with the Tdri, ordered the whole to be cut down ; and in places 
near the capital the order was enforced. 
This prince is said to have attempted to introduce a great strict- 
ness of manners ; absolutely prohibiting The use of all spiritous 
liquors, and ordering that no loose women should be tolerated. 
He was himself, however, unreasonably addicted to women; and 
the Brahmans here allege, that he sometimes forced away the most 
beautiful of their daughters. After some detention in the Zenana , 
if he did not like them, he sent the girls back to their fathers, 
who, in general, refused to admit them into their families. But 
Tippoo was not to be treated in this manner with impunity. On 
such occasions, he sent for the father, took from him all his pro- 
perty, and flogged him severely. He then ordered the girl to point 
out any Brahman for a husband, and the unfortunate man was 
Wild date. 
Austerity 
affected by 
Tippoo. 
I 
