Harkness, Henry: A description of a singular aboriginal race inhabiting the summit of the Neilgherry Hills, or Blue Mountains of Coimbatoor, in the Southern Peninsula of India (London, 1832)

14 CATTLE.

climate seems better adapted than that of the plains.
They are not tormented by the innumerable flies and in-
sects that in the latter force them to plunge into water,
or, as the case may be, into some muddy pool, remaining
therein for the greater part of the day with their snouts
above the surface ; but here, they quietly range over only
the downs, in herds often from a hundred to a hundred
and fifty, or two hundred, unmolested and unannoyed,
feeding on a rich and luxuriant herbage, more adapted
to their taste than the finer kinds of grass.

The only articles which the Tudas produce, are butter
and ghee; such of the latter as they do not require for
their own consumption, they dispose of to some of the
neighbouring tribes, who transport it to the low country.

Early in the morning, or rather as soon as the sun has
risen, the herd is liberated from the Tu-el,* and the
calves, which during the night have been confined in a
separate pen, are allowed to join them. The milking is
now commenced by one, two, or more of the males of
the family or community, who have gone through certain
purifications (to be mentioned hereafter), in order to
qualify themselves to perform this duty. After this the
herd is allowed to graze about, in the vicinity of the
morrt, and these dairymen now convert the milk which
had been drawn off the preceding evening, into but-

* The Tu<la name for the area before mentioned.