326 
A JOURNEY FROM MADRAS THROUGH 
v. 
*~v' 
July 13. 
CHAPTER take the vow of Ddseri. Their native language is the Telinga ; but 
their cast book is the TrivSda Prabandam , and they can also read 
Slokams or verses in Sanskrit. They neither eat animal food nor 
drink spirituous liquors. They burn the dead, and their widows 
ought to burn themselves ; but , this custom has become entirely 
obsolete. Widows, and girls above the age of ten, are not mar- 
riageable. The men are allowed many wives ; but do not shut them 
up, nor divorce them for any cause except adultery. Like those of 
the Brahmans , the women of the Satdnana never spin, nor follow any 
productive industry; but they bring water for domestic purposes, 
and cook the family provisions. The Pratama Vaishnavam are all 
equal, and can all intermarry and eat in common. The hereditary 
chief of all those in this neighbourhood resides at Mansunipulla , 
and, with a council as usual, possesses a jurisdiction both civil and 
criminal. Their Guru is Puttara Acharya , one of the hereditary 
chiefs of- the Aayngar Brahmans. He bestows on them Upadesa and 
Chakrantikam ; and on these occasions expects charity. They pray 
only to Vishnu and to the gods of his family, and abhor the worship 
of Siva, or of his followers the Saktis. 
* 
14th July. — For betel nut and black pepper the merchants of Sila« 
°* S uita g° t0 Codeal and Nagara . They carry with them some of the 
cloths that are manufactured in this country, and some tobacco 
which grows in the neighbourhood. Sometimes they are obliged 
to carry cash for a part of their cargo. They dispose of the greater 
portion of their pepper and betel at Wallqja-peita , and of a little at 
the intermediate towns. From the lower Carnatic they again bring 
back raw silk, and other goods imported at Madras by sea. The 
silk they sell partly at Bangalore , and partly to the people from 
Balahari , Advany , and other places, who bring hither cotton-wooL 
These merchants take back r^w silk, spices, and benjamin ; but 
never to more than one half, anc) generally not to more than , one 
quarter, of the value of the cotton- wool, the thread, and the blan- 
kets, that they bring. The merchants of Silagutta go to a town in 
July 14. 
