parellel with the sea from near Surat to Canara. This country is well calculated for the maintenance of defensive warfare; but that the people were not of the military caste is proved by the names of their particular tribes. The Koonbee, the Dangar, and the Goalah; or, the farmer, shepherd, and cow-herd: all rural occupations. The exterior, also, of the Rajpoots and Maharattas marks a different origin. The first is remarkable for the grace and dignity of his person; the latter, on the contrary, is of diminutive size, in general badly made, and of a mean rapacious disposition. The Maharatta Brahmans, also, differ in their customs from their neighbours, with whom they will never associate nor intermarry.

"It certainly appears extraordinary, that a nation so numerous as the Maharattas should have remained almost wholly unnoticed in Indian history for so long a period as from the first Mahommedan conquest until the reign of Aurengzebe; but it appears probable that prior to the time of Sevajee, the Maharatta country, like the other parts of the Deccan, was divided into little principalities and chiefships; many of which were dependant on the neighbouring Mahommedan princes, but never completely brought under subjection.

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Sevajee, the first Maharatta commander who combined the efforts of these discordant chiefs and tribes, was born in A.D. 1626, and died in 1680. His genealogy being obscure, his adherents were at liberty to invent the most illustrious; and, accordingly, traced his origin from the Ranahs of Odeypoor (the purest of the Khetrie caste), who claim a descent, equally fabulous, from Noushirwan the Just.

The Maharatta constitution, from the commencement, has always been more aristocratic than despotic, and the local arrangements of their empire peculiar; the territory of the different hostile chiefs being blended or inter spersed with each other.

"The Maharatta soldiers eat almost every thing indiscriminately, except beef and tame swine: they will eat wild hogs. The Maharatta country abounds with horses, and there are some of a very fine breed, called the Beemarteddy (raised near the Beemah river); but the common Maharatta horse, used in war, is a lean, ill-looking animal, with large bones, and commonly about fourteen or fourteen-and-a-half hands high. The only wea

pon used by the horsemen is a sabre; in the use of which, and management of their horses they are extremely dexterous. For defence they wear a quilted jacket of cotton cloth, which comes half way down their thighs."

According to Colonel Broughton's description of the Maharattas, nothing can present a more irregular, filthy, or wretched appearance than one of their camps; men, horses, camels, and bullocks being all huddled in it together in a mass; which mass is surrounded on all sides by others of a similar nature, in a continued state of comfortless confusion. These camps are attended by large bazars, the shopkeepers of which, as well as the soldiers, reside under miserable pals or coverings formed of blankets or coarse cloths stretched across a bamboo ridge stick, and supported at each end by others stuck in the ground. Near these the Maharattas huddle in the cold weather round their miserable fires made of horse or cow-dung, or of dirty straw; or pass their time in the rack-shop, or the tent of the prostitute, whose mysteries are very imperfectly concealed from the public eye by the wretched coverings just noticed. At the door of every tent is a fire; the smoke of which being too heavy to ascend into the air, spreads throughout the whole camp.

In these camps acts of injustice, oppression, and misery appear to go hand in hand. When grain is dear, hundreds of families are reduced to a state of starvation. "At such times (says Colonel Broughton) I have often seen women and children employed in picking out the undigested grains of corn from the dung of the different animals about the camp. Even now, when wheat is by no means at a high price, it is scarcely possible to move out of the limits of our own camp, without witnessing the most shocking proofs of poverty and wretchedness. I was returning from a ride the other morning when two miserable-looking women followed me for charity: each of them had a little infant in her arms; and one of them offered to sell her's for the trifling sum of two rupees (four or five shillings.)" These instances were common, and many of the sepoys in the British resident's camp had children obtained in this manner.

"It is one peculiar feature in the Maharatta constitution that the government always considers itself in a state of war; which formerly was a principal source of revenue. On the day of the festival called the

Dusserah, or Durga Puja, towards the end of September, at the breaking up of the rains, the Maharattas used to prepare for their plundering excursions. On this occasion they wash their horses, sacrificing to each a sheep, whose blood is sprinkled with some ceremony, and the flesh eaten with none.

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Among this people the gradual progress of refinement is discernable, from the wild predatory Maharatta, almost semi-barbarous, to the polished and insidious Brahman, whose specious politeness and astonishing command of temper leave all European hypocrisy in the shade. This extraordinary urbanity qualifies him in the highest degree for all public business. The bulk of the people under the Maharatta government are almost without property; few have an opportunity of acquiring wealth, except the powerful Brahmans, who are the principal functionaries under the state. Their avarice is insatiable; and, if ever the madness of accumulation was accompanied by the highest degree of folly, it is here exemplified; for although the Brahman be permitted to go on for years in the practice of extortion, his wealth at last attracts the attention of the prince, when he is obliged to disgorge, and is perhaps confined in a fortress for life. If he happens to die in office, his property is generally sequestrated. This mode of raising money forms a considerable part of the contingent revenue, and is known by the name of goona-geeree, or crime penalty.

"The two classes of Maharattast are as much distinguished by personal peculiarities, as caste and dress: the Brahmans are fair, have prominent features and comely persons: the rest are dark, with broad flat faces, small features, and short square persons; but are seldom if ever stout. I have never been able to discover any quality or propensity they possess, which might be construed into a fitness for the enjoyment of social life. They are deceitful, treacherous, narrow-minded, rapacious, and monstrous liars: the only quality they are endowed with, which could, according to our system of ethics, be placed on the credit side of the account, being

* The Maharatta may be divided into two great classes: the one composed of Brahmans, the other of inferior castes. The Brahmans are of the sect of Vishnu, and abstain from eating flesh; the others do not.

+ Broughton's Maharatta Camp.

candour; for there is not one of the propensities I have enumerated to which a Maharatta would not immediately plead guilty: in his idea of things they are requisite to form a perfect character: and to all accusations of falsehood, treachery, extortion, &c., he has one common answer: durbar hue,' 'tis a Maharatta camp."

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Maharatta

The Maharatta Brahmans wear commonly white turbans which are plaited, in a particular fashion, high above the head, and long muslin dotees hanging down to the feet, a plain white gown reaching to the knees, and a shawl, or in warm weather a scarf of gauze or muslin thrown loosely across the shoulders. The other classes wear a flat turban, a sela or shawl or scarf, short breeches, and occasionally in the cold weather a jacket. They are fond of ornamenting their ears with small gold rings, and such as can afford it have silver chains, twisted like ropes, fastened round their necks. Every one wears a sword and commonly a shield; and when on horseback carries either a matchlock or a long spear called a bala." The chief who holds out to them the best prospect of pay and plunder has the best chance of attracting them to his standard. They sustain with chearfulness great deprivations and fatigue: but if they quarrel with their chief, entertain no reluctance to forsake his colours and join the ranks of his enemies.

The Maharatta confederacy is now broken, and the political power and importance of its chiefs become little better than nominal. They, however, still demand the utmost vigilance of the British government. Treacherous, crafty and enterprising, no treaties can bind them, no benefits secure them to our interest; nor have successive defeats sufficiently subdued them to prevent their seizing the first, apparently, favourable opportunity to throw off the mask of friendship, and attempt the hazard of another struggle to regain their former power.

THE KOOMBEES of LONY.

These people, now under the dominion of the British government, are a branch of the Maharattas, and inhabit the town and country of Lony,

situated on the mountain range, about twelve miles from Poonah. They are Hindus, and worship principally Siva and Parvati, or local incarnations of them.

"Their system of faith and worship is extremely absurd and lamentable, but many of its precepts are good, and have a wholesome influence on their moral conduct. It inculcates the belief in future rewards and punishments, enjoins charity, benevolence, reverence to parents, &c., and respects all other modes of worship, but does not admit of proselytism. The Koombees are sincere and devout in their worship, which is exempt from the idle and protracted ceremonies of the Brahmans, and does not restrain them from any of the duties of life. They are professedly followers of Mahadeo; but are led by a spirit of toleration, or rather superstition, to join in the worship of any sect or object that comes in their way. They constantly make vows at the tombs of Mahomedans, and occasionally even at those of Christians.

"The idols of Cundoo* and Byroo, Jemnee Yemnee and Tookia, local incarnations of Mahadeo and Parvati, are their principal objects of worship; and are believed to be vindictive and prone to anger, and only to be appeased or conciliated by penances, sacrifices, and offerings. The figures of these idols are in relief, on plates of gold or silver, about four inches high and two broad, and every family has two or more of them placed on a stand (dewarah) in a suitable part of the house, which constitute their kooldiewut, or household gods. Cundoo is represented with four hands, holding a sword and shield, and seated on horseback, with a dog by his side. Byroo has also four hands, which hold a trident and a small drum. Jemnee Yemnee and Tookia are females, with four or more heads, each holding weapons of offence, with necklaces of human skulls, &c.

"Their religion strongly enjoins marriage, which is by far the most important consideration on this side the grave, and considered so essential to respectability and happiness that it is universally adopted, except by persons labouring under some incurable disease or deformity, or by the most

* Kandeh Rao.