9$ A JOURNEY FROM MADRAS THROUGH 
CHAPTER 
II. 
May 20, &c. 
By boiling. 
Without boil- 
ing. 
Manner of 
beating. 
Paddy is then spread out in the shade for fifteen days, and afterwards 
dried in the sun for two hours. It is then beaten, to remove the 
husks. Each grain is broken by this operation into four or five 
pieces, from whence it is called Aydu nugu aky , or five-piece rice* 
When dressed, this kind of rice swells very much. It is always pre- 
pared in the families of the Rajas, and is never made for sale. The 
operation is very liable to fail; and in that case the rice is totally 
lost. 
Rice prepared by boiling in the common manner is called Cudapal 
aky , and is destined for the use of the Sudras, or such low persons 
as are able to procure it. Five parts of Paddy are put into a pot 
with one part of water, and boiled for about two hours, till it is 
observed that one or two of the grains have burst. It is then spread 
out in the sun for two hours ; and this drying is repeated on the 
next day; after which the Paddy is immediately beaten. Ten parts 
of Paddy , by this operation, give five parts of rice, of which one 
part goes to the person who prepares it, for his trouble. Ten Seers 
of Paddy are therefore equal in value to only four Seers of rice. 
The rice used by the Brahmans , and called Hashy aky, is never 
boiled. On the day before it is to be beaten, the Paddy must be ex- 
posed two hours to the sun. If it were beaten immediately after being 
dried, the grain would break, and there would be a considerable 
loss. Even with this precaution, many of the grains break; and, 
when these are separated from the entire rice to render it saleable, 
the Hashy aky sells dearer than the Cudapal aky, in the proportion of 
nine to eight. 
The beating is performed chiefly by women. They sometimes, 
for this purpose, use the Yata, which is the same with the Hanky of 
Bengal ; or a block of timber fastened to a wooden lever, which is 
supported on its centre. The woman raises the block by pressing 
with her foot on the far end of the lever, and by removing her foot 
allows the block to fall do wn on the grain. The more common way, 
however, of beating Paddy, is by means of a wooden pestle,, which 
