MYSORE, CANARA, AND' MALABAR. 
357 
the late Sultan introduced some fine asses from Arabia ; but the CHAPTER 
yj 
prejudices of his subjects were so strong, that nothing could be 
done. The animal is indeed considered so impure, as to be beneath July 19, 20. 
the notice of eveiy person who has any kind of claim to rank; and 
my questions on the subject were rather disagreeable. Black asses 
are not uncommon, and white ones are sometimes to be seen ; but 
neither constitute a different breed. The asses get nothing to eat, 
except what, in the intervals of labour, they can pick up about the 
village. When the crop is on the ground, they are tied up at night; 
but at other seasons- they are allowed to roam about, and, in order 
to prevent them from wandering too far, their fore feet are tied 
together. The males are never castrated, and the best are always 
sold off by the washermen, which are principal causes of the dege- 
neracy of the breed. At three years of age the females begin to 
breed, and some have every year a colt, while others breed once 
only in three years. The colt sucks, till its mother is again big. 
The idea of the milk being ever used by men is reckoned too ab- 
surd to be credible. A common mark of disgrace for criminals is 
the being forced to ride on an ass ; and even the washermen are 
unwilling to acknowledge that they ever defile themselves so far 
as to ride on this animal. A good male, three or four years old, 
sells for 10 Funams (6 s. 8 ~d.) ; a female of the same age sells for 
the same price. An ass’s burthen is reckoned thirty-six Seers of 
Ragy, or about 76 lb.; with which, they will daily travel two cosses, 
or nearly seven miles. 
Slst July . — I went five cosses to Tonday Bam , near Maha-kcdi- j u l y 2 i. 
durga, passing chiefly through a barren hilly country, totally uncul- A i , P earanee 
- J J of the coun- 
tivated, and covered with bushes or coppice- wood. It is part. of a try,, 
hilly chain that comes toward the west from the north of Colar , 
and meets at right angles the chain that extends north from Ca - 
pala-durga. This chain running east and west is called a Ghat , and 
the country to the north of it is said to be below the Ghats. The 
whole of it is watered by branches of the Utara Phidlcani, or Pennan 
