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NOVEMBER, 1885.]
A SELECTION OF KANARESE BALLADS.
2 99
locks, (loaded with) bullets and gunpowder. Bagiwadi. With dexterity Rayinayaka forced The crackling noise was like the parching of his way into the Kachêrî at Sampgaum, which grain. They struck the trees in the ravine. was given to the flames and entirely burnt. The hill re-echoed the sound and thundered. Then passing through the village of (Bail)For three hours they fought, till all their am- Hongal, he came to the fort of Kittûr, and mnunition was exhausted. God was displeased there he opened another device to them, saying with them!
-"Fear not; I see now, that it is only some Eighth verse.-When their ammunition was woman who comes here (against us);" and his exhausted, they were in straits. Rayaņņa saw force sat there on guard, with their swords that the sound of the firing of bullets had ceased, drawn. and he came at them. Like wolves among What destruction he caused! Traly Râyisheep, (he and his mer) sprang in and scattered nayaka was indeed a hero; powerful was the and dispersed them, and, drawing their swords, star under which he was born! cut them down. The swordsmen surrounded Tenth verse. "If you will seizo him and give them, and cut them down, without letting one him ap, I will give rewards,"-thus, in his escape; and thus they hemmed in all the force. wrath, the Saheb caused proclamation to be Drawing out their pistols and canncns, and made by beat of drum. O my brother! throwing all their daggers and bows and spears, (Rayanna) had plundered everything; no one
-there they slew four hundred men. They cat could withstand him; he was pre-eminent as a the throats of all whom they saw; innumerable hero among all people. heads fell down upon the ground. They cut In a sneaking way, three men came together, one company into little bits. When this deed and talked with cunning, and conspired in was done in the ravine, a torrent of blood flow. secret. Then going into the presence of tho ed forth, my brother!; never had such a fight noble gentleman," they sent in word (of their been fought before. Those that were left, fell arrival), and, confirming each other in their down; and throwing away their swords, and intention, they spoke out boldly; and they came chewing grass," they placed stones upon their there, having all together drawn up a document, heads, my brother!
of which the purport was, “We will catch When this had been done, (Rayanna) blazed Riyinayaka, and bring him in and give him out more fiercely than ever), and went to the up to you." neighbourhood of Kittûr, where the army of Then they went to Riyiniyaka, and spoke the pure-white foreigners was,--saying, “I words of (apparently) pure friendship, laying will destroy them, so that no one (save myself) aside all anxiety about their lives. "We are shall rule the kingdom, and I will become pre- on thy side, o brother; only do thou savu eminent in the world."
us; we have come out with thee), swunring Ninth verse.-They cut down numbers that (to be true,"-(thus they spok“), touching salt could not be counted of the army of the foreign and the dang of cows, seated in front of a ers who wear round hats; and they forced flaming torch; thus they promised, with rite them into confusion, so that they were all upon rite. And taking the oath of the thousand dispersed,
gods, (to all seeminy), O my brother! they Becoming (more) mischievous (then ever), were his firm friends; (but he knew not the (they said), “We will plunder each village treachery that was in their thoughts. that we come across, and collect the gold, Eleventh verse.—"Let us go on," (sail) which shall be for our force and for all of us. Riyiniyaka; "we will plunder the whole They sacked Halliha! and Hanamangatti and country, and lay waste all the surrounding Talewadi; and then, my brother! they went villages." They set out together, my brother! and pillaged. Nandigad. They besieged and and quickly came to Hubballi, and laid it waste, plundered Agasąnhalli, Amba dagatti, Kadarolli, so that there was great lamentation. Hunasikatti, and Belawadi, and Sodaļli, God. Then said they, without hesitation, "Sonding gêri, Balgund, and Ittigi; and then they entered all the rest on in front, we four together
* A sign of defeat and submission; soo ante, p. 74, 1 3 i.e. the white troops. note 25.
" i.e. the SALeb, the Collector au 1 Magistrate.
