ishment and indignation on being informed that this would not entitle them to a full acquittal. Another native race, altogether insignificant in point of number, are yet extremely interesting, from the light which their manners throw on the earliest state of Hindoo society. The southern boundary of Mysore is for a considerable extent composed of the range of mountains called the Nhil gerries, the loftiest of any in Southern India, and rising at some points to upwards of 8000 feet. These elevated tracts were not explored by the British till 1819, when the climate even under the burning skies of the tropic, was found to be almost as temperate as that of England. Its cool and refreshing breezes, with the rich and romantic scenery of hills, lakes, waterfalls, pastoral streams and valleys, render this country a delightful retreat for the European invalid. Government, accordingly, have formed there a sanitary station, the particulars of which, and of its climate, are given by Professor Jameson in the succeeding volume.* In the highest valleys of the Nhilgerries are found a clan, called Tudas, who do not exceed 600 in number, but are very remarkable, as the only tribe yet discovered who are ignor ant of the mythology, language, learning, and manners, so universally diffused over India. They are strangers to the divinities who people the Hindoo pantheon; even the cow is not esteemed by them as sacred, though they attach certain religious ideas to the dairy, which yields to them one of the most valuable means of subsistence and commerce. Their temples are dark hovels, in which a little shining stone is the only object of worship; but from these the Bramin is driven by them with anger and suspicion. Their language has some resemblance to the Tamul and the Malayalma, which are spoken in the plains below; but not a tincture of that copious infusion of Sanscrit which prevails in these and the other Hindoo dialects. There is, therefore, some probability that they are indeed the remnant of the aborigines of Southern India; exhibiting what their ancestors were before they received those institutions which have stamped upon the Hindoo race so peculiar a character. The Tudas are at once discovered to be a different people from the inhabitants of the plains below. They are tall, * Vol. iii. p. 205. TUDAS-MOHAMMEDANS. 271 athletic, with a bold bearing, and long black hair; their countenance, distinguished by a Roman nose and a large full-speaking eye, is sometimes marked by deep gravity, sometimes animated by a lively and mirthful expression. The women display the same features with a feminine cast, and have their long black tresses floating over the neck and shoulders. Though modest, they display a frankness and self-possession to which the sex in the low country are strangers; but their appearance is injured by want of cleanliness and an ungraceful costume. They all live in patriarchal simplicity, raising no grain, nor rearing any domestic animal except the buffalo, whose milk yields the ghee or clarified butter, which forms their only exportable produce. They dwell by families in small morrts or clusters of huts, migrating from one to another according to the convenience of pasturage. They seem strangers to war, having no weapons of attack or defence; yet their demeanour is hardy and fearless, betokening a sense of superiority to the neighbouring tribes, compared to whom they dignify themselves with the exclusive title of men. They are strictly honest, and, without fastening their doors day or night, live in perfect safety. They are reproached with habitual indolence; but the report that they put their infants to death seems yet too slight to fix so deep a stain on their character. It seems necessary here to introduce some account of the Asiatic races not Hindoo, who have settled in India. These are chiefly Mohammedans, the descendants of the early conquerors, reinforced by successive hordes of Uzbecks and Patans, attracted thither by the hopes of rising to power and fortune. The fall of the Mogul empire nearly annihilated their importance. It converted them into military adventurers, who either swelled the predatory bands, or found employment in the native courts, recommended by their boldness and courage. Mr. Prinsep mentions a class called the Punne Patans, who carried on a singular species of lifeinsurance. A great man, surrounded by enemies and in danger of assassination, obtained from them a contract to kill any one who might be chargeable with violence towards him; and the knowledge of this engagement, which they were known to fulfil with scrupulous punctuality, formed a material safeguard to the person assured. The Mussulman character, reserved and simple in private life, but proud and ostentatious in public, has remained nearly unaltered, and its delineation belongs rather to the history of countries where they are still the ruling race. Since the time of Aurengzebe their bigotry has greatly abated. An interesting description of their domestic habits, generally involved in much guarded obscurity, has recently been given by an English lady, whom fortune had united to a Mussulman of distinction, named Meer Hassan Ali. The picture greatly resembles the pleasing one drawn by Mr. Tully's relative of the ladies of Tripoli; and both represent the inmates of the Moslem zenana in a somewhat favourable light. Though buried in complete seclusion, they are described as mild, cheerful, content with their lot, and even possessing some measure of information. In consequence of the recent successes of the British arms, the Mohammedans have been dislodged from the Mahratta courts, where they had found shelter, and their predatory bands have been dissolved. Their religion, however, still prevails in the vassal states of Hydrabad and Oude, as well as in the independent one of Sinde. Another foreign race of considerable importance is that of the Parsees or Persians, the ancient worshippers of fire, long since driven from their native country by the persecuting sword of the Arabs. The fury of that invasion is too clearly demonstrated by the fact, that there remains in their original seats only a small and poor remnant of this once powerful people. On the contrary, the refugees in India are numerous and opulent. They take the lead in the commercial transactions of Bombay, Surat, and other northwestern ports; indeed, they are the proprietors of almost all the houses in the former, obtaining often very high rents from the English residents. Their general conduct is quiet, orderly, and respectable; though their usual retired habits are combined with that love of occasional pomp and show which prevails so generally among the inhabitants of the East. The Jits, or Jauts, are a numerous people, occupying the western provinces which border on the Indus. They appear to have emigrated from the great plains beyond the Oxus, and retain still the warlike and pastoral habits of Scythia. We have seen them become formidable by their valour to the great conquerors, as well as to the Mogul rulers of Hin BRITISH INDIAN GOVERNMENT. 273 dostan. They were originally divided into cantons, under a republican form of government; but they have since owned the supremacy of the Rajpoot states, particularly that of Bikaneer. Tod considers the peasantry of Northwestern India, as well as the sectarian race of the Seiks, to be chiefly composed of this tribe. CHAPTER VIII, British Government of India. Early Management of the Company-Interlopers-Courten's Association-United Joint-stock-Rival Company in 1698-Union-Constitution of the United Company-Early Settlements-Acquisitions in the Carnatic-Conquest of Bengal-Financial Distress-Plans for its Remedy-Administration of Hastings-Charges against him-TrialIndia Bill by Mr. Fox-Another by Mr. Pitt-Board of Control-Arrangements with subsidiary States-The Carnatic The NizamOude, &c.-Population of India-The Army-Sepoys-RevenueMode of levying Land-rent-Judicial Arrangements. In the preceding history, we have traced the steps by which the company arrived at their present vast dominion in India. It remains that we take a view of their constitution, commercial and political, and the manner in which they have administered their affairs. This subject, which has given rise to much controversy, is obviously too extensive to be treated here in detail, Referring those to whom it may be an object of particular interest to more voluminous works, we shall endeavour to present an outline satisfactory to the general reader. The company for some time were little more than an associated body of private adventurers; the governor and directors merely receiving the funds contributed by each individual, managing them according to his suggestion, and accounting to him for the proceeds. But in 1612, by representing the complexity and inconvenience arising out of this arrangement, they prevailed upon the merchants to unite into what is termed a joint-stock company, where the whole sum subscribed was placed under the control of the direct ors, and a dividend conformable to the general results of the trade made among the proprietors. It has been alleged, however, that when zeal was no longer stimulated by individual interest, the commercial transactions were not conducted with the same economy, and yielded less advantageous returns. The company afterward involved their affairs in the confusion of different interests. An addition to their capital being from time to time required, was procured by a new joint-stock; and sums were subscribed by fresh bodies of adventurers, which were to be separately managed. Thus, by the year 1650, four distinct subscriptions were formed. Meantime the directors were harassed, not only by the competition of numerous interlopers, but by demands from respectable merchants to be admitted to a share in this lucrative traffic. The principles of commercial, as well as of political, liberty widely pervaded the nation; the Levant and Muscovy trades had been thrown open with the happiest effects; and it was urged that equal benefits would accrue from opening to the nation in general that of India. In 1635, a new association, headed by Sir William Courten, obtained permission from the king, who was allowed a share in the adventure, to embark in an independent trade with that country. The concern, however, was not well conducted, and could not make head against the hostility of the company, who advanced multiplied charges against it. At length the privilege was withdrawn ; but the directors agreed to incorporate the capital with their own, forming what was termed the United Jointstock. Its proprietors, however, in 1655, were empowered by Cromwell to resume a separate commerce. Jealousies were roused to the highest pitch; and, after several warm discussions, it was agreed that the exclusive system should be fully re-established, and that the different stocks, which had led to such confusion, should be consolidated. From this time the transactions were carried on, if not in a more profitable, at least in a more systematic manner. During a course of years from this date, though the company laboured under embarrassment, the general prosperity of the country enabled them to extend their commerce. Their outward investment in goods and bullion, which in 1662 did not exceed 65,000l., rose in 1673 to 228,000l. This apparent success produced, however, the usual effect |