buchanan’s journey, through

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the civilized part of this tribe go into the woods to vifit their relations, or to tradewith them, they muft throw off their rags, left they fhould be miftaken for a villager,in which cafe none of the Chenfu would approach.

The language of the Chenfu is a dialed! of the Tamul, with occafionally a fewKarnata or Telinga words intermixed; but their accent is fo different from that ofMadras, that my fervants did not at firft underftand what they faid. Their originalcountry, they fay, is the Animalya forefts below the Ghats, which is confirmed by theirdialed!. Thofe who live in the villages have taken the Pancham Banijigaru as theirchiefs; they trade chiefly with them, and call them their fwamis, or lords; but,although they have learned to invoke the name of Siva, they do not wear the lingam.

Thofe in the woods have either no religion, or fome fimple one with which thofehere are unacquainted. The people of this country attribute to the Chenfu the powerof bewitching tigers; and my Brahman gravely informed me, that the Chenfu women,when they went out to procure food, left their infants in charge of one of thefe fero-cious beafts. The Chenfu, of courfe, deny their poffefling any fuch power; but allege,that the art is known to another rude tribe named Soligaru, who inhabit the fouthernGhats which feparate this country from Coimbetore.

The Chenfu here live upon game, wild roots, herbs, and fruits ; and a little grain,which they purchafe from the farmers. They are enabled to do this by colle&ing fomedrugs, honey, and wax. ft is on account of their having the exclufive privilege ofcollecting thefe two laft articles that they pay a poll-tax, which is annually fifteenfanams, or xos. o|d. for each family.

13th June. — I went to Magadi, which in our maps is called Maghery. This ftagewas very fatiguing for my cattle; and the road paffed through a wild but romanticcountry, which confifts of low hills, intermixed with little cultivated vallies. Thefoil of thefe is tolerably good ; and, like the Rama-giri valley, they are cultivated withdry grains only. The higher parts are covered with trees, which, owing to the povertyof the foil, are in moft places very fmall; but near Savana-durga, and in a few otherparts, the timber and bamboos grow to a good fize. The fummits of all the ridges ofhills are bare rocks of the granitic porphyry, and often rife into high iharp peaks, orimmenfe maifes of naked ftone. By far the moft remarkable of thefe is occupied bySavana-durga, which the army of Lord Cornwallis took by affault; ever fince whichtime it has been deferted.

15th June. — Having had little fuccefs yefterday in fending the woodmen to bringme fpecimens of timber, I went to-day into the woods on the eaft fide of Savana-durga,which rrame has been corrupted by us into Severndroog. It is an immenfe bare rock,which has many fortifications on its fummit. A lower rock, but yet one of greatftrength, is fortified, and is fituated at the bafe of the larger, towards the fmall riverwhich runs in a very deep ravine; and a large fpace between the ravine and rock isalfo inclofed by a ftone wall, and furrounded by thick forefts. This place formerlycontained feveral temples, and fome large gardens belonging to Magadi Kempa Gauda ;and ferved as a place of refuge for the inhabitants of all the neighbouring country,who in cafe of invafion retired hither with their grain and cattle. A few families ofBrahmans remain near the ruinous temples ; and the fite of the gardens is evident froma number of fruit and flowering trees. Every other part of the enclofure is overgrownwith foreft trees and bamboos.

Magadi Kempa Gauda, or the red head-man of Magadi, was a wealthy farmer who,having gathered together a number of followers, built at his native village two largetemples, and the fortrefs of Savana-durga, and became a polygar of great diftindtion ;

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