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CORRESPONDENCE AND MISCELLANEA.
229
"undertook to establish." With regard to this Amru, and Hareth, besides a selection from the latter point, and particularly to this very inter- well-known Bedawin Romance of Antar, by Asma'i, ference, our views on the subject are really so who was one of the stars of the Court of Harunentirely at variance that it is better I should stop al-Raschid. The most striking passages of the short here.
Moällakdt which have been rendered into English Berlin, 25th April 1880.
A. WEBER. verse by various translators will be given in the
appendix. Professor G. F. Nicholl, M.A., of OxTHE REMNANT OF THE ORIGINAL ARYAN ford University, and King's College, London RACE.
will furnish some critical notes on obscure pas. It is said that Major Biddulph, stationed on the
sages of Sir William Jones' English text of the Kashmir boundary, has prepared a report upon Moällskdt, and Mr. J. W. Redhouse, the eminent the customs, the languages, and the folklore of Orientalist, will contribute an original trawulati the singular communities among whom he has of the celebrated Poem of the Mantle, by Ka'b, son been residing for a long time. From Major Bid.
of Zubeyr, son of Abd Sulma, with critical notes. dulph's peculiar advantages and opportunities may be expected, says the Pioneer, a complete
NOTES AND QUERIES. account of people who are a survival of the old 2. PROPER NAMES.-With reference to Mr. Åryans from whom all civilized mankind of the George A. Grierson's letter in the Indian Antipresent day is probably descended. Surgeon. quary, ante p. 141, I beg to state that in the Major Bellew, meanwhile, has been examining a Mysore Province the custom of boring the right few men from the cantons on the south-west of side of the nostrils of the children whose elder Dárdistân, peopled by a similar race, who in brothers or sisters died soon after their birth one respect are still more interesting, for their prevails. Such children are called country has never yet been visited by a civilized Gunda-rock. Hucha--madman. traveller. But in appearance and language they Kalla-stone. Tippa-dunghill. closely resemble the Dards, and, unlike them, The last name is given after some rubbish from have not embraced the creed of their Muhamma. Adunghill has been brought in a sieve, and the dan neighbours. The tongues spoken in all these child placed in it. hills are, for the most part, Åryan; not descended I learn that this custom prevails in the Madras from Sanskrit, and, indeed, of earlier origin than Presidency also, and that the names given there that classical language. On the northern slopes are Gundan, Kallan, Kuppan (Kuppai being the of the mountains Parsi words prevail; in the Tamil word for dunghill), and Vemban or the southern cantons some of the words resemble Margosa tree. It does not appear that the mother Greek, some Latin, some those of modern Europe. herself changes her name as in Bengal. They make and freely consume) grape wine, As the district in which I now live is close to something like a crude Burgundy. Those who the Southern Marâțba Country, it is probable are not Musalmans believe in one God, but that the custom prevails there also employ the intercession of minor powers, repre.
NARAYAN ALYANGÂR. sented by images. They also occasionally canon- Shimoga, 23rd May 1880. ize great men whom they have lost by death. They are usually monogamous, opposed to divorce, With reference to Mr. Grierson's request at p. 141 and strict defenders of the chastity of their unmar of the current volume of the Indian Antiquary, ried girls. These latter have blue, grey, or hazel I may mention that the custom of calling a new. eyes; black hair is the exception amongst them; born child (after the parent has lost a first-born and when young, they are of such remarkable or more in succession) by an opprobrious name, comeliness as to be in great demand in the slave is common amongst many castes in Southern markets of adjacent countries. Authentic informa- India-including even Muhammadans. tion concerning these interesting races cannot but Any one well acquainted with the customs of be anxiously awaited by all who realize the nature the natives could add much to Mr. Grierson's of the questions involved.-Globe, April 17. information on the subject.
Kuppasvdmi (=Sir Dungheap) is one of the ANCIENT ARABIAN POETRY.-Mr. W. A. Clogg. commonest names for such children, and they ton, of Glasgow, intends issuing by private sub- have the distinguishing mark of a pierced nostril scription a limited edition of A Treasury of Ancient and ear (on the right side) with a knob of gold in it. Arabian Poetry. It will include specimens from Other names are Chatthupullai and Ghurumiydi. Amrulkais, Tarafa, Zohair, Lebeid, Antara, Madras.
B. R. B. * Conf. Ind. Ant. vol. IV. p. 238; vol. VI. p. 168.
