896 
CHAPTER 
July 2 5, ike. 
A JOURNEY FROM MADRAS THROUGH . 
number oi families; such as the Any , or elephant Curubaru; the 
Hal , or milk Curubaru; the Colli , or fire C.; the JVe% <?. ; the $a- 
manta C.; the Coti C. ; the Asil C. ; and the Murhindina Curubaru. 
These families are like the Gotrams of the Brahmans ; it being con- 
sidered as incestuous for two persons of the same family to inter- 
marry. The proper Curubas have hereditary chiefs, who are called 
Gaudas, whether they be head-men of villages or not, and possess 
the usual jurisdiction. Some of them can read accoinpts, but they 
have no book. The proper duty of the cast is that of shepherds, 
and of blanket weavers ; and in general they have no other dress 
than a blanket. A few of those who are rich have betaken them- 
selves to the luxury of wearing cotton cloth next their skin ; for 
all casts and ranks in this country wear the blanket as an outer gar- 
ment. The dress of the women resembles that of the females of 
the kingdom of Am. The blanket is put behind the back, and the 
two upper corners, being brought forward under the arms, are 
crossed over the bosom, and secured by the one being tucked under 
the other. As their blanket is larger than the cloth used by the 
women of Am, the dress is more decent. The Curubaru were, be- 
sides, Candachara , or militia; cultivators, as farmers, as servants, and 
as gardeners; Attavana , or the armed men who serve the Amildars; 
Anchay , or post-messengers, and porters. They are allowed to eat 
animal food, but in most places are not permitted to drink spiri- 
tuous liquors. In other places this strictness is not required ; and 
almost every where they intoxicate themselves with palm-wine. 
The women are very industrious, and perform every kind of work 
except digging and ploughing. Even after the age of puberty 
they continue marriageable, and can only be divorced for adultery. 
In this cast the custom of Cutiga, or concubinage, prevails ; that is, 
all adulteresses who are turned away by their husbands, and have 
not gone astray with a strange man, and all girls and widows, to 
whom a life of celibacy is disagreeable, may live with any man of 
the cast who chooses to keep them. They are looked down upon 
