34 $ A JOURNEY FROM MADRAS THROUGH 
CHAPTER obtained his leave, immediately causes the delinquent to be shot, 
i Smaller offences are atoned for by the guilty person giving an en- 
July 19,20. tertainment. Incases of adultery, the chief collects four elders, 
who admonish the woman to a more decent conduct. If she be 
repentant, the husband takes her back; but if she be impudent, he 
divorces her. After the age of puberty the girls continue to be 
marriageable, and a man may marry as many of them as he can 
maintain, or procure ; for the former -is not difficult, the women 
being very industrious, both in the field and in spinning. They 
are divided into several families, Mutsarlu, Beinday , Molu, Sadala- 
wanlu , Permdalu , and Toralay. These are like the Gotrams of the 
Brahmans ; the intermarriage of two persons of the same family 
being considered as incestuous. They call the proper god of the 
cast Krishna Swami , who is one of the incarnations of Vishnu ; and 
they allege, that he was born of their cast both by father’s and. 
mother’s side. The Brahmans allege, that the mother of this great 
warrior was of the Goala , or cow-keeper cast ; in which, perhaps, 
they are well founded; and they pretend, that a Brahman con- 
descended to impregnate her, which is not improbable. The GoV 
latvanlu offer sacrifices to the Saktis . They pray to Kcila Bhairava 
(terrific time); but the women do not appease his wrath by sacri- 
ficing their fingers, like the female Morasu above described. They 
think, that after death good men become a kind of gods ; and they 
offer sacrifices to these spirits : bad men become devils. They know 
nothing of transmigration. They bury the dead, and sometimes 
take the vow of Baser i. They are allowed to eat animal food, 
and to drink spirituous liquors. Although their Guru wears the 
Ling a, they do not. He is a Jangama , named Malaiswara Swami f 
who lives at Mapaklli Conda, about 14 miles north from hence. 
On his followers he bestows holy water ; and for every marriage 
accepts of a Fanam, although he does not attend the ceremony. This 
tribe seems not to be much attached to any sect ; as its members 
also take holy water from the Gurus of the A'ayngar Brahmans 9 
