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women: they are the principal merchants in the country, both for 
foreign and home trade: many are proprietors of trading vessels, 
navigated by Mahomedan commanders and seamen, in which they 
make an annual voyage to the Persian and Arabian gulfs; and 
after disposing of pepper, cassia, cardamoms, cotton-cloth, coir- 
ropes, and other productions of Malabar, they return with coffee, 
drugs, dates, and dried fruits. Those on the sea-coast use a cor- 
rupt language between the Arabic and Malabar: the Koran, and 
the few books they possess, are written in Arabic. The Moplahs 
engaged in commerce, and enjoying an intercourse with other 
people, are tolerably courteous and orderly; those in the interior, 
who are too proud to work or engage in agricultural pursuits, are 
generally an idle worthless race; parading about the country with 
a broadsword, or murdering time in one of the swings already 
mentioned. These are of a most turbulent revengeful spirit, prone 
to mischief, especially against the Nairs, whom they consider as 
infidels, proud and haughty as themselves. When intoxicated with 
bhang, or opium, they frequently run a-muck, and in a dreadful 
state of phrenzy, murder every person they meet, until they are 
overpowered and destroyed. 
The Nairs are at constant variance with the Moplahs; and the 
king of Travencore, jealous of their ambitious revengeful temper, 
keeps them in great subjection, and levies frequent contributions 
on their property; to which they reluctantly submit, from knowing 
they would experience the same treatment from other governments. 
At one period the Moplahs created great commotions in Traven- 
core, and towards the end of the seventeenth century massacred 
the chief of Anjengo, and all the English gentlemen belonging to 
