DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.2375#0311
MYSORE, CANARA, AND MALABAR.
305
CHAPTER
XVIII.
April 5.
Inhabitants.
This part of the Nagara Rdyada entirely resembles the Mysore
country. The cultivators live in villages, their cattle are large and
white, they rear sheep, the country is naked, and the people subsist
chiefly on dry grains. Many of the inhabitants are Cunsa IVocu-
ligas, a laborious and intelligent class of farmers, strongly contrasted
with the Sivabhactars of the west, who appeared to me to be as
stupid and lazy a class of men as I have ever seen.
The hills here, however, are not so rugged as toward Mysore; strata,
but the strata run north and south, and contain many lumps of
quartz. In all the open country, where there is no Laterite, the
limestone nodules abound. Although the natives in general think
that calcareous stone in the ground diminishes its fertility, I have an
idea that the want of this substance in the countries to the west-
ward, more than any absolute sterility in their soil, may be the cause
why the dry grains do not thrive.
Before the invasion of Purseram Bhozv, this country was in a Desolation,
very good state. After his destructive march, not above one fourth
of the inhabitants remained alive, and these were left destitute of
every thing which the Marattahs could either carry away or destroy.
The wretched remnants of population had again begun to recover,
when Dundia came among them. He did not put any one to death;
but he plundered the houses, and even burned some of the villages,
the inhabitants of which he suspected of concealing their property.
The dry-field of this village is very hard, and full of small stones, Dry-field,
being what is called Darray ; yet it seems to be productive, or at
least the people seem willing to acknowledge the real returns which
they obtain from its cultivation. Almost every kind of dry grain
is raised on it, without attention to rotation, or any idea among the
farmers that one grain is more exhausting than another. The soil
is never rested, and contains limestone; but it is well dunged. The
two great crops are Ragy and Jola. This has been a remarkably
favourable year, and the Ragy produced forty seeds.
Vol. III. , R r
305
CHAPTER
XVIII.
April 5.
Inhabitants.
This part of the Nagara Rdyada entirely resembles the Mysore
country. The cultivators live in villages, their cattle are large and
white, they rear sheep, the country is naked, and the people subsist
chiefly on dry grains. Many of the inhabitants are Cunsa IVocu-
ligas, a laborious and intelligent class of farmers, strongly contrasted
with the Sivabhactars of the west, who appeared to me to be as
stupid and lazy a class of men as I have ever seen.
The hills here, however, are not so rugged as toward Mysore; strata,
but the strata run north and south, and contain many lumps of
quartz. In all the open country, where there is no Laterite, the
limestone nodules abound. Although the natives in general think
that calcareous stone in the ground diminishes its fertility, I have an
idea that the want of this substance in the countries to the west-
ward, more than any absolute sterility in their soil, may be the cause
why the dry grains do not thrive.
Before the invasion of Purseram Bhozv, this country was in a Desolation,
very good state. After his destructive march, not above one fourth
of the inhabitants remained alive, and these were left destitute of
every thing which the Marattahs could either carry away or destroy.
The wretched remnants of population had again begun to recover,
when Dundia came among them. He did not put any one to death;
but he plundered the houses, and even burned some of the villages,
the inhabitants of which he suspected of concealing their property.
The dry-field of this village is very hard, and full of small stones, Dry-field,
being what is called Darray ; yet it seems to be productive, or at
least the people seem willing to acknowledge the real returns which
they obtain from its cultivation. Almost every kind of dry grain
is raised on it, without attention to rotation, or any idea among the
farmers that one grain is more exhausting than another. The soil
is never rested, and contains limestone; but it is well dunged. The
two great crops are Ragy and Jola. This has been a remarkably
favourable year, and the Ragy produced forty seeds.
Vol. III. , R r