MYSORE , CANARA, AND MALABAR, 663

nounce it leifurely, or at leaft diftinclly. He is indeed feldom able to read fluently;and all intervals are filled up by a repetition of the lafl word, accompanied by a moftfonorous nafal twang, which is continued until he is able to make out the followingword. This kind of unintelligible cant is, however, preferred greatly to all prayersthat are pronounced in the vulgar tongue ; which, indeed, are confidered as of little orno efficacy, efpecially if they are extemporary.

There is here a tribe of Peliga Banijigas, who follow no other profeffion than that ofgardeners. They allow themfelves to be inferior to thofe who are merchants, or far-mers ; but pretend to be fuperior to the weavers of fackcloth. In their families theyretain the Telinga language, and follow the ufual ceremonies of the Sudra, who havethe Sri Vaiftmavam Brahmans us their Gurus. By thefe teachers they are kept in amoll beaftly ftate of ignorance, nor could they give me a rational anfwer to any queftionthat I propofed relative to their cuftoms. They are, however, very active and fkilfulin their bufinefs. The people, who here are commonly called Satanana, call them-felves Vaifhnavam, as being the very chief of the worfhippers of Vifhnu, an honour towhich no other call feems to think them entitled. The Brahmans allege that they areSudra; but this title is rejected with fcorn by the Vaifhnavam, although they havereceived the Brahmans as their Gurus. The Vaifhnavam feem to be the fame tribewith thofe called Boiftum in Bengal; but it mull be confeffed, that many of the rulesof the two calls are very different; yet perhaps not more fo than the rules obferved bythe Brahmans of the two countries. The Brahmans evidently entertain a jealoufy ofthe Vailhnavam, and endeavour to render them as ridiculous as poflible ; for their pro-feffion approaches too near to that of the facred order. I am inclined to fufpecl, thatthey are the remains of a very extenfive prielthood, who formerly held the fame llationwith refpefl to the Whalliaru, that the Brahmans do now to the Sudra, and who withtheir followers formed the heretical feci called Vailhnavam. This would be cleared up,perhaps, by a converfation with a feet called the Valmika Satanana, who are faid to bethe proper Gurus of the Parriar below the Ghats : but I have not had an opportunityof inveftigating this matter.

The Satanana are divided into two feels befides the Valmika . Both contend for apriority of rank; and they neither intermarry, nor eat in common. If we were tojudge by the circumftances that give rank to Brahmans, the Tricoveluru Satananaought to be the highell; but the other clafs call themfelves Pratama, or firlt. Theyare alfo called Coil Satanana, as being a kind of officiating prielts in the temples.

The Tricoveluru Satanana, in order to procure worldly enjoyment, aft as fchool-mallers to inftrufl the youth in the reading and writing, both of Sanlkrit and of the vulgarlanguages ; and alfo in mufic, both vocal and inflruinental. Some alfo, who are rich,become farmers. The proper manner, however, in which they ought to fubfill, is bybegging ; and by this rejection of worldly enjoyment, like the Brahmans, they expeft ina future ftate to obtain a high reward.. They intermarry, and eat among one another,without any diftinction of family, learning, or profeffion ; and have no objection to aman of any nation, provided he can fcow that he is a Satanana. The Brahmans allege,that on fuch occafions they are not very fcrupulous in their inquiries. 1 hey have here-ditary chiefs, who with the affiftance of a council fettle difputes, and punifh delinquent?.-They are not allowed to take animal food, nor fpirituous liquors. Here they bury,below the Ghats they burn, the dead. They are allowed two wives, who can .only be di-vorced for adultery. Their native language is the Telinga ; yet the book peculiar tothe call is in the poetical language of the Tamul nation. This they call the Vedam ;but the Brahmans call it Triveda Prabandam. They allege, that they read the eighteen

Puranas 5