16S 
A JOURNEY FROM MADRAS THROUGH 
CHAPTER to the Chensu the power of bewitching tigers ; &nd my Brahman 
gravely informed me, that the Chensu women, when they went out 
June 12 . to procure food, left their infants in charge of one of these fero- 
cious beasts. The Chensu of course deny their possessing any such 
power; but allege, that the art is known to another rude tribe 
named Soligaru , who inhabit the southern Ghats which separate 
this country from Coimbetore. 
The Chensu here live upon game, wild roots, herbs, and fruits ; 
and a little grain, which they purchase from the farmers. They are 
enabled to do this by collecting some drugs, honey, and wax. It 
is on account of their having the exclusive privilege of collecting 
these two last articles, that they pay a poll-tax, which is annually 
fifteen Fanams , or 10,?. 0 id. for each family. 
Bees. The bees are of two kinds : one, smaller than our bee, builds its 
nest on the twigs of trees, and is easily procured ; the other is a 
large bee, which builds in the clefts of rocks, and its honey is obtain- 
ed with great difficulty. The wax sells at 2\ Seers for the Fanarn , 
or 1/. 8 s. 4 d. a hundred weight. The honey sells at 2 Seers for the 
Fanam. 
Drugs. The drugs collected by the Chensu are as follow : Agulusunti , 
and Hegguntigay , two roots used in medicine. Popli, a bark used 
as a red dye. The plant that produces it is a scandent shrub, the 
flower or fruit of which I could never find ; nor did Dr. Roxburgh 
know it by the dry specimen of the branches in leaf. It seems, 
however, to be nearly related to the Ventilago. The Muddl , or bark 
of the root of at least two kinds of Morinda , is also used as a dye ; 
as is likewise the Capily Podi. It is the red dust shaken from the 
fruit of the Rotleria tinctoria. The merchants of Bangaluru and 
Colar buy up these articles, paying to the Chensu a Fanam for 32 
Seers of Popli, and Muddi , or 3s. 10-f -d. a hundred weight, and a 
Fanam for one Seer of Capily Podi , or Is. 1 jd. a pound. 
When ordered, the Chensu collect gum from various trees ; but 
they never do it without a special commission, and die quantity 
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