385 
heir to all his subjects when he chooses to exert his full preroga- 
tive; consequently they require no laws respecting landed pro- 
perty, or titles of inheritance: as he monopolizes all the pepper, 
and such other articles as he thinks proper in his dominions, com- 
mercial laws are also needless: the women, except among the 
Nairs, being entirely dependent, and almost in a stale of slavery, 
have no occasion for statutes to regulate dowers or marriage set- 
tlements: for as the sovereign is absolute in his kingdom, so is 
every master of a family in his own house: moral actions and rela- 
tive duties are regulated solely by the will of a father and a hus- 
band. Thus, occasions of wrangling and law-suits are removed: 
despotic power is allsufficient; and the people, excluded from 
general information, contentedly submit to the oppressive 
system. 
The Nairs, or nobles, form the second tribe in the kingdom of 
Travencore: they are a well-made handsome race, of a fairer 
complexion than the inferior castes, from whom they entirely sepa- 
rate themselves; and neither eat nor intermarry with any other. 
Their marriages are very extraordinary, and directly contrary to 
the usual system of polygamy adopted in Asia. Among the Nairs, 
one wife is common to many husbands, who cohabit with her bv 
turns; during this temporary attachment, the arms of the inmate 
are placed over the door of the house, to prevent the intrusion of 
another husband. These marriages are attended with fewer dis- 
putes, and disagreeable consequences than might be imagined: 
the wife nominates the father of the child ; and he is obliged to 
provide for it. 
3 D 
