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August, 1879.)
THE BHADRACHELLAM AND REKAPALLI TALUQAS.
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a village where there were a few native Chris- child, and bary it in the ground up to its shonl. tians whom my fellow traveller was urging ders, and then drive their loaded bullocks over to deepen their well, and so render themselves the unfortunate victim, and in proportion to independent of the filthy water of the tank, the bullocks thoroughly trampling the child to a bystander suggested that' the Vaddovaņdlu death, so their belief in a successful journey might be employed, when a Muhammadan oried increased. Probably very little credence can out, Oh do not employ them, if you do, they be given to their assertions that they have will dig up the very roots of your house, the completely left off such cruelties. Is it not a lazy fellows.
great mistake to call these people wandering 74. The Paki or sweeper caste is the lowest gypsies?' The gypsies of England at least caste of all. All these have come from the are not travelling traders. The people in this neighbourhood of Vijagapatam, and are great country who seem to me most to resenable the sticklers for their caste rules.
gypsies are the Erakalavandla. There are the various sects of Muhammadans, 76. Sukalila. - These may be regarded but as there is nothing connected with them as a class of Banjârilu, as their occupadeserving of special notice, I have refrained tion is the same as that of the latter. They do from enumerating them.
not however travel in such large companies, The Erakala vandlu have already been nor are their women dressed so gaudily as the spoken of (p. 106. Cf. also Vol. III. p. 151, Banjari women. There is but little friendship Vol. V. p. 188). The habitat of these people is between these two classes, and the Sukali would not so confined as Mr. Cust suppose., (Languages regard it as anything but an honour to be called of the East Indies, p. 78), but must extend at a Banjari, and the Banjari is not flattered when least to the Nellur district.
called a Sukali. XVIII. 75. Banjarilu, also called Lamba- XIX.-77. Kois-See Vol. V. p. 357, divandlu.---These are the great travelling traders Vol. VIII. p. 33. who bring in produce from the Bastar country, 78. Linga Kois. There are a number of where a number of them have settled down and Kois who have become Saivites on the Bastar cultivate the soil in addition to trading. On the plateau in the neighbourhood of Lingagiri. side of one of their roads from Bastar are several 79. Gutta Kois-See Vol. V. p. 357. large heaps of stones which they have piled up These call the Kois who live near the Godåvari in honour of the goddess Guttalamma. Gommu Kois and Mayalotilu.-The Every Banjäri who passes the heaps is bound word gommu is used in these taluqas to denote to place one stone on the heap, and to make the banks and neighbourhood of the Godavari. & salaam to it. In other parts they fasten Thas for instance all the villages on the banks small rags torn from some old garment to a of the Godavari are called gommu úllu. I bush in honour of Kampalamma. Kampa= never heard the word gommu thus used in any a thicket. Not very long ago a Banjarî was of the lower districts. Mayalotilu means seen repeating a number of mantrams over his rascal.' The Gatta Kois say the lowland Kois patients, and touching their heads at the same formerly dwelt on the plateau, but on one time with a book, which was a small edition of occasion some of them started out on a journey the Telugu translation of S. John's Gospel. to see a Zamindâr in the plains, promising to Neither the physician nor the patients could retorn before very long. They did not fulfil read or had any idea of the contents of the their promise, but settled in the plains, and book. They treat their sick and old people i gradually persuaded others to join them, and at very cruelly, and frequently leave them to die times have secretly visited the plateau on in the jungles. Several thus left have been marauding expeditions. brought into Dammagadem and well cared for, 80. Oddilu.-These Kois are regarded as but they have always declined staying here on rather more honourable than any of the others, recovery, and have rejoined their heartless and have charge of the principal vélpu. See friends. Many of them confess that in former p. 33. These only pay visits few and far beyears it was the custom amongst them before tween to these talaqas. starting out on a journey to procure a little 81. Koi Naya kalu-Very few of these