D'visioQ Section •D54-3Z, T6M36 Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2016 https://archive.org/details/travelsamongsttoOOrriars THE TODAS LONDON : PRINTED BY SPOTTISWOODE AND CO., NE\V -STREET SQUARE AND PARLIAMENT STREET REDUCED FROM A PHOTOGRAPH BY IVI E S S ? ? BOURNE & SHEPHERD. SIMLA. TRAVELS THE TODAS OR THE STUDY OF A PRIMITIVE TRIBE IX SOUTH INDIA, THEIR HISTORY, CHARACTER, CUSTOMS, RELKHOX, INFANTICIDE, POLYANDRY, LANTiUACE ; WITH OUTLINES OF THE TUDA GRAMMAR. WILLIAM E. MARSHALL, LIEUTE.VANT-tOLONEL OF HER MAJESTY'S BENGAL STAFF COKl'S. rERMANENT ILLUSTKATIOXS BY THE AUTOTYJE PROCESS. LONDON : LONG M A NS. G R P: E N, AND C O. 1873- -/// r'.^Uts rcsef'7cd. PREFACE. In the course of a furlough I took in the year 1870 to the Madras sanatarium of Utacamand, in the Nila- giri mountains/ I heard much of an ‘ aboriginal race ’ living in the neighbourhood ; which, infanticidal and polyandrous, was said to be fast dying out. I had long been curious to understand the mysterious process by which, as appears inevitable, savage tribes melt away when forced into prolonged contact with a superior civilisation. But, ignorant of all the languages of South India, I should have relinquished attempt to study the Todas, had I not the great good fortune to make the acquaintance of the Reverend Friedrich Metz, of the Basel Missionary Society, who had spent upwards of twenty years in labours amongst the primi- tive tribes forming the inhabitants of the Nilagiris ; and who, in addition to being skilled in several Dravi- dian dialects, was exceptionally practised in High Kanarese and Tamil. Above all, he was the only European able to speak the obscure Toda tongue. Mr. Metz most readily agreed to co-operate with me in strict enquiry into the condition of the Todas, and ' Commonly called ‘ Ootacamund, in the Nilgherry hills’ ; it being the peculiar Anglo-Indian custom to style all mountains, hills. Thus the Himalayas are only hills, whilst in England, Ben Nevis and Snowdon are mountains. VI PREFACE. henceforth became my sole associate in all expeditions amongst them — save one or two. It is the more proper and just that I should in this place render Mr. Metz the warmest acknowledgment of the very disinterested and important share he had in the undertaking, that there is so little in what I have written in these pages to recall his name. It was not only that his knowledge of Toda dialect was invaluable for minute and truthful investigation, but the personal respect in which he was held by the people, and the confidence they placed in his fidelity to them, obtained for us a more friendly welcome and complete exposure of their minds than would have been accorded had we been mere strangers. I must state, however, that my friend is not, even in the slightest degree, responsible for any opinions I have expressed. A small Vocabular)^ compiled and carefully revised by Mr. Metz, will be found as the groundwork of the last Chapter. It may be said, more entirely to consist of actual Toda words than any other existing. Our operations began with a census of a portion of the tribe, combined with an examination of each of the families that came before us. But in proportion as our work advanced, so did interest in the subject de- velop, until the scheme was entertained of enlarging the topic from its original design, so as to embrace ‘ a study of the manners and customs of a primitive race of man.’ With this evolution grew also the desire so to de- scribe what I had seen, as to enable readers who could never have an opportunity of witnessing life amongst PREFACE. Vll untutored races, to realise justly and without exaggera- tion, what it really is, and — by analogy — what it must have been in the pre-historic era, long ere ‘ Adam delved and Eve spun,’ before man had mtich developed m manly qualities. I have actually witnessed most of the scenes here described. Such of the remainder as are not otherwise authorised, I have compiled from direct narrative of the most reliable Todas. Whilst hoping, though not without some misgivings, that the ugly statistics collected with so much care, and the speculations advanced to account physiologically for the origin of obscure customs, may have some slight value, even to the savant, I am sanguine that the antique practices now brought to light, and the illustrations I have attempted of every-day life, may render the book acceptable to the general reader. I may say, that great and especial pains have been taken to render as large a portion of the work as the subject permits, attractive, and suited for ladies’ reading. A few words of explanation are perhaps called for; to account for my having devoted an entire chapter to the description of some of the first principles of phre- nology — a subject which is fully treated in standard works by acknowledged authorities. I wished primarily, to show the premises forming the basis for many con- jectures which otherwise would have borne too much the appearance of dogmatism, or that might have been misunderstood. Secondly, I desired to show for phre- nology, a marked practical value for ethnological pur- poses : and no single work containing, with clearness Vlll PREFACE. and brevity combined, so much information calculated to be serviceable to enquirers disposed to pursue the phrenologic mode of enquiry into the nature of bar- barous races, which I have here faintly attempted ; I trusted that the chapter might be useful, in some sort, as a manual for ethnographers so circumstanced. But in this matter, as indeed throughout the book, I must trust very much to the lenient judgment of my readers; if, as a solitary Indian, far away from contact with men of science, but fresh from the actual and impressive presence of ‘ nature’s children,’ in attempt- ing to work out for myself some of the vastly interesting unsolved problems of our day, I air some seemingly quaint ideas. TJie ptiblic is concerned simply in their trtith. The publication of these results of investigations made t\vo years ago, has been delayed through the impossibility of finding in a very hot climate, and in the intervals of official duties, leisure sufficient for com- pleting a subject demanding much thought and care. I beg to invite especial attention to the important contributions made by the eminent philologist and great Tamil scholar, the Rev. G. U. Pope, D.D., at pre- sent Head Master of the ‘Bishop Cotton’ School at Banofalore. These will be found both in the form of foot-notes throughout this little work, and forming a distinct chapter at the end. The interesting and often most valuable derivations of Toda words given in these notes, have enabled me, in the absence of other evidence, to explain several customs and to work out some specu- lations that otherwise seemed quite incomprehensible. PREFACE. IX But for the linguist, I trust Chapter XXIX. will have especial attractions. To the Honorable Sir A. Arbuthnot, C.S., K.C.S.I., Secretary to the Government of Madras, I am greatly indebted, for having placed at my disposal, the records existing in the Revenue Department, on the subject of Toda infanticide. I am beholden to the skill of the distinguished artists, Messrs. Bourne and Shepherd, of Simla, and to Messrs. Nicholas and Curths, of Madras, for the photographs which decorate the book. These have been printed in carbon, by the Autotype Fine Art Company, 36 Rathbone Place, London. W. E. MARSHALL. Faizaead : znd October , 1872. CONTENTS. CHAPTER I. HISTORICAL OUTLINE. PAGE Meaning of the Name Toda — Names of Clans — Kols, the Aborigines of India — Todas are Dravidians — Dravidians penetrate India and dispossess the K61 Race — Affinities of the Dravidians — Arj-an Con- quest ; its Effects on the K61 and Dravidian Races — The mutual In- fluence of the K61, Dravidian, and Aryan Races on one another — Positions in India now held by the three Races — Positions in the Dekkan of the Dravidian Tribes — Affinities of the Toda Dialect- Last Migration of the Todas — Kaims and Kromlechs on the Nilagiris — Are the Kaim-builders allied to the Todas ? . . i CHAPTER II. PHRENOLOGICAL BASIS. Contrast between Simple and Complex Races — Advantages in noting Groups of Organs — Necessity for studying Individual Organs— The Properties and Positions of Groups, and of the Organs in each Group — Effects of Size and Quality in Brain — Power — Two Varieties of Energy — Mutual Influence of the Organs — Correlation between Organology, Temperament, and Bodily Structure — Description of the main Temperaments amongst Oriental Races , . . 12 CHAPTER III. PHYSIOLOGY OF THE TODAS. Table of Relative Proportions in the Toda Head — Scheme of number- ing Organs — No Skulls procurable — Individual Organs frequently assume Abnormal Proportions — Difference between the Sexes — Calliper Measurements — Amativeness of Moderate Size — Why should F orm be singularly small ? — Physical Appearance of the Todas — Their Temperament — Largest and smallest Groups . . 29 Xll CONTENTS. CHAPTER IV. CHARACTERISTICS. PAGE Talking Voices — Modes of Salutation — Home Life — Frank and obliging Natures — Colour of the Skin — Tattoo Marks — Ornaments — Boys distinguished from Girls — Apparel — Toilette . . .41 CHAPTER V. THE LAND HE LIVES IN. The Todas a very ordinary People : the Interest they attract greatly due to Association — Habits and Manners free from Eccentricity — The Scenery of the Country : its Silence and Grace — A cool Morning grows to a Summer Day — Tasteless Toda . . .51 CHAPTER VI. THE MAND. Todas a Pastoral Race — Definition of a Nomad — Todas migrate, but are not nomadic — The Mand or Village — Construction of Houses — Interior Arrangement of Houses — The surrounding Wall — The Cattle-pen — The Dairy or Palthchi — Typical Plan of a Mand — Selection of Village Sites — Names of Villages . . . .58 CHAPTER VII. THE FAMILY. Parturition — Midwives — Confinements — Infanticidal Mother taken Red-handed— Name this Child — Men’s Names — Nicknames — Women’s Names — How Married People call to one another — List of Relationships 68 CHAPTER VIII. FOOD. Diet— Kutu — Badaga and Kota Neighbours prey on the Todas — Todas give away Valuable Property — Not flesh-eaters — Ceremony of eating Buffalo.-flesh — Don’t drink Spirits — Children’s Food — Family Meals — Grace before Meat — No Weapons of the Chase — No Variety of Live Stock 78 CONTENTS. XIU CHAPTER IX. SAVAGE ANTITYPE. PAGE Cause of Idleness of Primitive Races — Their Attributes — Toda Qualities, and Form of Cranium — The most primitive Form of Skull — How to judge of Cannibal Heads — Tylor, on the Develop- ment of the Human Race — Dolichocephali the natural Inhabitants of warm Zones : Brachiocephali the Result of harsher Circum- stances — Endogamy and Dolichocephaly — Why pure Brachioce- phali are not met with — Caste inimical to Advance — Brachiocephaly the Counterpoise to Dolichocephaly — Correlation between Brachio- cephaly and Broad Shoulders 85 CHAPTER X. CENSUS. Mode of taking Census — Census Table — Todas hide nothing but number of Cattle — Review of the Table — Crowding — Number of Todas — Vital Statistics — Does the Tribe increase, or is it dying out ? 95 CHAPTER XI. FAMILY STATISTICS. The day approaches when the Nilagiris will not afford Support for the Todas — Occupations which the Todas might take to — A little Education would give them a good Start in Life — Toda Males bear to Females the ratio of 100:75 — The Cause of this Disparity be- tween the Sexes — A Male-producing variety of Man formed by Infanticide — Useful Family Statistics 108 CHAPTER XII. RELIGION. Prayers to Sun and Moon — The mysterious confused with Godhead — No clear Conception of a Supreme Being — The Use of a God — Toda Belief — Amnor — Where situated — Sin, Punishment, little Gods, Spirits, Witchcraft — Toda Religious Belief, whence derived 123 XIV CONTENTS. CHAPTER XIII. THE BELL-GODS, PACE A Religion based on the Care of the Cow — Milk a Divine Fluid — The Cattle-bell a God — The Bell-cow — Her ancestral Line — The Bell- god — Installation of the Bell-cow — TheTirieri — The Sacred Herd — Bulls of the Herd — Sanctification of Bulls — Agnate Law amongst the Todas ; Female Succession for their Cattle — Antiquity of Bell- gods 128 CHAPTER XIV. tiri£ri priests. The Palal — The Kavilal — The Palal is a God — The Peiki Clan termed ‘ Sons of God ’ — Duties of the PalM — No Mysteries — Sacred Nature of Priests — The Palal becomes Man again — Purification for Holy Orders — The Tude Tree ; its botanical Name and Distribution — The use of the Tude, an ancient Practice — The Palal enters on his Duties 135 CHAPTER XV. PRIESTLY DUTIES. Palal’s daily Routine — Salutes the sacred Herd — Milks the Cattle — Libations to the Bell-gods — Names of Toda Gods — Does the con- ception of invisible Gods arise from deficient Organ of Form? — Todas revere Light, not Fire — Who is the Kavilal ? — Palal demon- strates that he is never touched — Milk held in religious regard — PalM collects Kutu for his Mand 141 CHAPTER XVI. THE TIRI£RI. A Tirieri Mand described — Names of Tirieri — We visit the Tirieri and see the Bell-gods— The holy Domain — The Priests are away — Who erected these upright Stones ? — The Priests return — A Bargain is struck — ‘ Gods of our Fathers ’ — ‘ These be your Gods' ! ! . .146 CONTENTS. XV CHAPTER XVII. THE £tUD MAND. PAGE Customs of the Village Dairy or Palthchi — Duties of the Palkarpal — Important Difference in the Duties of the Palal and Palkarpal — The Tarval — The inside of a Dairy — The Dairy of an Etud Mand is a Shrine — The Badagas term it Mui Mand : why ?— Toda form of Oath 153 CHAPTER XVIII. THE FUTURE STATE. Todas have no just Sense of a ruling Almighty Power — Belief in Eternity — The natural Causes of the Belief in a Future State — Future Punishment . 159 CHAPTER XIX. THE BOATH. External Appearance of the Boath — Night Visit — Inside of the Boath — Where are the Relics ? — The Boath an exceptional Curiosity — Speculations regarding it ; a Bethel ? connected with the Bothan 163 CHAPTER XX. THE GREEN FUNERAL. The two Funerals described — Last Office to a dying Toda — The Corpse journeys to the KMu Mand — The Kedu Mand described — Obsequies — ‘ Dust to dust ’ — Slaughter of Cattle — The Ashes of the Dead — Kotas remove the Carcasses of Cattle 170 CHAPTER XXL THE DRY FUNERAL. The Burning of a Flute, Bow and Arrows — The Dance — Scene with the Sacrificial Cattle — Again ‘ dust to dust’ — Catching the Cattle — The Sacrifice — The Cattle-bell — No Priest concerned in the Ceremonies — Sprinkling of blood — Final Burning of the Manes — The Kotas remove the dead Cattle 179 xvi CONTENTS. CHAPTER XXII. RELIGIOUS CULTURE. P.A6E Toda Religion, a Development from a Material Nucleus— The Milk- giver an object of deep Reverence — Milkmen are Priests, then Gods — Todas have a bias in favour of Light as the manifestation of Divinity — Not idolatrous — Do not make Offerings to a God — Believe in Transmigration — Callous on Demonolatry — Influenced in Religious Matters by other Races — Todas of Turanian Stage of Culture i86 CHAPTER XXIII. INFANTICIDE. Infanticide probably, at some time, practised by every Race — Prime- val Man’s early Difficulties — His Invention for restricting the Ex- pansion of his Race — Infanticide perhaps marks a Stage in human Progress — The Ancient Britons infanticidal — Infanticide of Primitive Races a work of Love — Infanticide may be extinct whilst Statistics imply its continuance — A Dynamical Problem solved by the Todas — Infanticide the Crime of Weak Races ; of Dolichocephali 190 CHAPTER XXIV. POLYANDRY. Polyandry defined — Instances in various Parts of the World of Polyan- dry — Among the Celtic Britons — Laws of Inheritance — Re-marriage of Widows — Disgrace of being Childless — Desire for Children . 203 CHAPTER XXV. POLYANDRY — MARRIAGE. Betrothal — Peculiar Nature of Dowry — Ask Papa — ‘Wilt thou have this Man?’ — The Wedding-ring — Plurality of Husbands — Con- fusion of Progeny — Toda Expressions for Marriage — The Bow and Arrow in Weddings , .210 CHAPTER XXVI. POLYANDRY — MORALITY. Fickleness not necessarily an Attribute of Barbarous Man — Use of the Dower-^Dowry sometimes not paid — What then i* — Women’s CONTENTS. xvil PAGE Influence — Divorces are rare — Company behaviour very fair — No bachelors — Ultra Communistic — Not much known of private practices — No Foreign Blood apparent 216 CHAPTER XXVII. POLYANDRY— ITS CAUSE. Causes ascribed by various Authors — Savage social Custom traced — Origin of the Family — Absolute and limited Communism — Infanti- cide — Unpremeditated origin of Polyandry — Phrenological descrip- tion of Polyandrists — Obstacles to Change of custom — Nature may be warped so as to place obstacles to rapid Change in the Character of Races 223 C HAPTER XXVIII. SHADES OF EVENING. The people assemble — The cattle come home — Day’s food — Prayer to the Setting Sun — The family retires to rest — Maternal aspect of Nature in Mild Climates 233 CHAPTER XXIX. TUpA GRAMMAR. Outlines of Grammar — Vocabulary 239 Appendix , 271 XVI 11 CONTENTS. TABLES. KO. PAGE 1. Relative Proportions in Size of Organs and Groups of Organs in the Toda Head 30 2. Sizes of Heads in both Sexes of the Todas, as obtained by Cal- liper Measurements 34 3. Census . 96 4. Statistics of Toda Families 112 5. Information deduced from ‘ Statistics of Toda Families ’ . . 118 6 . To ascertain the ‘ages at which Toda women both commence and leave off Child-bearing’ 119 7. To ascertain the ‘size of Toda Families’ : the ‘period during which the women bear children ’ : and the ‘ number of years inten-ening between the birth of children ’ . .120 8. Compiled from ‘ Statistics of Toda Families ’ in order to ascer- tain the progress made towards checking Infanticide . .197 9. Child marriages. Compiled from ‘ Statistics of Toda Families’ 222 CONTENTS. XIX ILLUSTRATIONS. NO. I. A Toda Hand . . . . Frontispiece. PAGE 2. Map of India .... . 6 3 - Male Profile .... • 32 4 - „ FuU face .... • 32 5 - Female Profile .... • 32 6 . „ Full face . 32 7- Full-length figure . . 38 8. A greeting . 42 9- A Toda Armlet .... . . 48 lO. The land he lives in . . 51 II. Three Toda houses (a plan) • 63 12. The Dairy (a plan) . 65 13- A typical Mand . 66 14. Children tending cattle . 129 15- The Tude or sacred bush. Weapons. Bow and Arrows used at weddings and funerals. Imitation buffalo horns . 138 16. Adam and Eve .... ■ 136 17 - The Pilal salutes the sacred cattle . 142 18. The Tirieri — the ‘ Holy place' or Toda sanctum . 146 19. Mani Dfr — ‘ Gods of our Fathers ’ . 151 20. Conical Temple (a plan) . 164 21. Conical Temple — Boath . 164 22. Mourning • 177 23- My informant .... . 184 24. Pentirem — a Maiden of 14 years . 207 25. Nastufi, ‘the little savage’; a married girl of 16 years . . 214 26. Beliani XX CONTENTS. SCHEME OF TRANSLITERATION FOR THE TODA LANGUAGE. a = 9 U in ‘ cut ’ e = e in ‘ pen’ a = au ‘ caught ’ K e = a ‘ sale’ i = i V ‘pin’ ei = i ‘ pile ’ > 1 = ee a ‘ thee ’ 0 = 0 ‘ potato u = 00 ‘ cook ’ A. 0 = 0 ‘ dote’ K u = 00 ‘ booth ’ au = ou ‘out’ oi = oi in ‘ oil ’ ch — ch in ‘ niche’ kh = kh in ‘khan Erratum. — Page 129, line 19, for No. 15, read No. 14. A PHRENOLOGIST AMONGST THE TODAS. CHAPTER I. HISTORICAL OUTLINE. Meaning of the Name Toda — Names of Clans — Kols, the Aborigines of India — Todas are Dravidians — Drdvidians penetrate India, and dis- possess the K 61 Race — Affinities of the Drdvidians — Aryan Conquest ; its Effects on the K6l and Drdvidian Races — The mutual Influence of the Kol, Drdvidian, and Aryan Races on one another — Positions in India now held by the three Races — Positions in the Dekkan of the Di'dvidian Tribes — Affinities of the Toda Dialect — Last Migration of the Todas —K aims and Kromlechs on the Nilagiris — Are the Kairn- huilders allied to the Todas ? The people whose ancient customs and primitive habits form the topic of these pages are called by the English Todas ; but in their own language an individual of the tribe is Todan,* the plural being Todaru. The Badagas — of whom more hereafter — who for centuries past have lived in close proximity to the Todas, style them in the singular Todawanu,’^ and in the plural Todawaru : from which, by abbreviation, Todawan or Todawar. Hence ’ Todan. Tamil, Toravam and T6ram = « And thus Toravan or Toran = herdsman. [Pope.] On this note, Mr. Metz remarks ; ‘As the d in Toda is not a lingual d, but dental, 1 do not believe the word means herdsman, as Toda in Old Tamil. I do not know the meaning of Toda with the dental d.’ * Todawanu. Hor 2 i-a herd, VIzn\x = a person. Drdvidian. [Pope.] B CHAP. I. 2 HISTORICAL OUTLINE. CHAP. I. also have arisen other corruptions in English ; as To- rawar, Thautawars, Todars, Todies, &c. Dr. Hunter gives, in his Dictionary,® a Toduva variety of the Todu language ; which is an error. The Toda tribe is divided into five clans, called Peiki, Pekkan, Todi, Kuttan, and Kenna.^ The, two first are very closely related, although they do not now intermarry ; the former having become what might be termed a Levitical clan. All (?f the remaining four freely marry amongst one another. We have very little positive information of the earliest in- habitants of India ; but, so far as the existing condition of evidence enables us to determine, they were of a race whose speech, having analogies to the extensive Ho or K61 group of languages, ‘ derived from a source common both to them- selves and the Chinese,’® gives grounds for the belief that, at some extremely early prehistoric period, a migration of barbarians into India took place from over its north-eastern confines ‘ from the northern shores of the Indian Ocean and the Chinese Sea ; ’ ® thus seemingly earning for themselves the title of children of the soil, the aboriginal inhabitants of at least the central and north-eastern tracts of India. The physical type of this race, judging from the many distinct tribes of the family still to be found in various hill ranges, partook of the main features of the Mongol — in the hairless face, broad and short, the spreading unshapely nose, small eyes and high cheek-bones : and evidences of the people exist even in the southern portion of the Indian peninsula, both in the presence of this peculiar stamp of countenance, and apparently in the names of places and of natural features of the country. The Toda tongue is entirely apart from that of the K61 ® Hunter, ‘ Comparative Dictionary of the Non-Ar>'an Languages of India and High Asia.’ ^ Mr. Metz writes me that he believes he has found a sixth clan, called Taral ; but the statement needs confirmation. 5 Hunter. ® Hunter. HISTORICAL OUTLINE. 3 family. It is, indeed, now known with absolute certainty to be a dialect of the development of Turanian speech styled Dravidian the language of a group of primitive, illiterate, and perhaps warlike tribes who, between three tho’usand and four thousand years ago, migrated from tracts of Western Asia, and penetrating India, probably through Beluchistan and the natural water lines* of the country, filled all its Avestern and southern districts, pushing before them, in some period of their advance, the various tribes of the K61 abo- rigines, some of whom, in slavery or menial conditions of life, survived as subjects of their conquerors. The Rev. Dr. Caldwell* has drawn attention to the remark- able circumstance that the closest and most distinct affinities to the speech of this race are those which have been dis- covered in the languages of the Finns and Lapps of Northern Europe and of the Ostiaks and other Ugrians of Siberia : and consequently that the Dravidian is proved, by ‘ language alone, in the silence of history, in the absence of all ordi- nary probabilities, to be allied to tribes that appear to have overspread Europe before the arrival of the Goths and the Pelasgij and even before the arrival of the Celts.’ The characteristics of the Toda branch of this race, form the burden of the following pages. In the process of writing ’’ A term which, applied by the Brahmans apparently in supercilious envy and contempt of the people they could not conquer — the word Dravida implying the condition of being beyond the pale of the castes — is now used ethnologically, to designate that which has grown to be a distinct race of man. ® It would seem an absolute necessity, that primitive tribes should maintain the water-lines of the country they penetrated. If such be the case, noticing the geographical peculiarities of the west frontier of India, this Turanian race would have divided at the Desert of Scinde ; one branch following the course of the Indus and its tributaries to the Land of the Five Rivers : the other, turning south, would have both crossed and followed the many watercourses which drain into the Arabian Sea, on their way towards the Dekkan. 9 Caldwell, ‘ Comparative Grammar of the Dravidian Languages.’ I beg here to acknowledge my debt to the above valuable work for much of the information I have incorporated in this chapter. CHAP. I. 4 HISTORICAL OUTLINE. CHAP. I. of them, I have grown to the very strong conviction that the people are a surviving sample of some portion of the Turanian race when in its very primitive stage. Without much exercise of the imagination, I can picture them the cotemporaries and neighbours, even perhaps the ancestors, of races of South- Western Asia which have made a figure in early historJ^ There is much of the ‘ blameless Ethiopian ’ about them : something of the Jew and of the Chaldean in their appear- ance. I do not venture to hazard an opinion as to their cradle-land. It is safer to draw attention to what, judging by appearances and customs, are their possible ethnic affinities.*® At a period which historians have placed 300 or 400 years subsequent to this Turanian inroad, a branch of the Aryas — an Indo-European race of the Caucasian mould, speaking San- skrit — burst in on India from the north-west. At first occu- pying that part of the country now known as the Punjab, these warlike colonists grew in the course of centuries into a conquering power, establishing empires on the Indus and Ganges after the fashion of lawless times, on the ruins of the K 61 aborigines and Dravidians, holding possession of the soil of various parts. And with a success so complete, that we find the Aryas ultimately occupying the whole of the arable tracts which in the main follow the course of those rivers, and form the northern base of the Indian Peninsula. As a con- sequence of this crushing conquest in the north-west, we recognise Dravidian tribes in the inferior strata of the resident populace, and their blood mixed with that of even the highest Aryan castes. The Sikh bears a considerable though refined likeness to the Toda. And the province of Oudh has manifestly a large Dravidian substratum. Warlike and gifted though this branch of the Indo-Euro- pean family has shown itself to have been, it does not appear On the eve of sending this work to the press, I would beg again to urge my belief in the connection between the Dravidian Toda and the Ethiop. Dr. Pritchard’s ‘ Natural History of Man ’ might be compared. HISTORICAL OUTLINE. 5 to have subjugated those Dravidians which colonised the Dekkan ; but rather obtained sacerdotal influence amongst them through the means of a superior religious culture and civilisation, of which ambitious and wily Pundits, like monks in the barbarous days of Europe, were the exponents and pioneers. As might be expected, the three main races of India could not be located in the close contiguity which resulted of repeated conquest and subsequent expanding numbers, before their various religious customs, their languages, and even their blood, began to show their influence in reaction on one another. Perhaps the most striking effect of all these opera- tions, was that which the barbarous rites and beliefs of the inferior races exercised on the purer and more spiritual religious faith which originally distinguished the Aryas. In their desire to absorb all the subject and utterly savage tribes of the conquered inhabitants, the Brahmans opened the portals of their religion, and incorporated the many gods of the aborigines with the ancient deities of their Vedic pantheon. The pure Hindu religion, although thus actually debased in the process, probably became an instrument of even greater efficiency, when wielded by clever priests, for the pur- pose of obtaining an ascendancy over races in an extremely low stage of culture. And we recognise this truth in the great influence which Hinduism and the Sanskrit tongue, have obtained over the entire Indian Continent. In the case of the Dravidians ; it seems to me, on review- ing Toda religious practice, an extremely probable event. A that a possible early contact with the Aryas, long before either race entered India, rendered Sanskrit, especially in regard to all pious notions and reverent observance, influen- tial amongst them, even .then. This is a very interesting consideration ; one which must render it difficult to deter- mine at what early period this Dravidian branch of the CHAP. I. 6 HISTORICAL OUTLINE. CHAP. I. Turanian tree had first been biassed through the superior religious instinct of the Arya. If we consider that the many tribes of these three dominant races, brought into India the various habits, religious observ- ances, and dialects of the diverse tracts of Asia whence they emigrated. When we further reflect on the different results which must have ensued during their residence in the country of their adoption, from the contiguity of certain of them to the progressive Brahmanical race, with its refined and copious vocabulary, its elevated moral code, with idealised pantheon of heroes and heroines ; and the proximity of others to the carnivorous K61, his tutelary deities and bloody rites. Fur- ther, bearing in mind the isolation of tribes kept asunder by the lawlessness of the times, the pathless nature of the country, and the conservative nature of tribal barbarians ; — we can readily comprehend why Dravidian tribes have now concreted into separate nationalities, whose dialects are ‘ dis- tinct though affiliated languages,’ " and whose religion varies in every shade, from the simple but senseless, or perhaps cruel, observances introduced by original immigrants, to the complex rites of corrupted Hinduism. The accompanying sketch map of the Indian peninsula describes the position in the country which the Dravidians hold at the present day ; when, after their wanderings and their wars, the various tribes of which the race is composed had settled down, then expanded into important nations, speaking distinct dialects, of which the following are now highly cultivated : — i. Tamil. iii. Kanarese. ii. Telugu. iv. Malayalam. V. Tuluva. Three others, viz., vi. Toda. vii. Gond. viii. Ku or Khond, Caldwell. N° 2 Uofn/f€l 4 / n'O ,:S. (rOU Ji/“/s7tJlC4 ^ B AY 0 F 'u s. BENGAL C\^\ IxN'' Sheiclv Aiiiir-oo-diu. AUTOTYPE. LONDON . HISTORICAL OUTLINE. 7 remain in their pristine barbarous state ; innocent even of CHAP. written characters ; and there are said to be several other ^ — minor dialects or corruptions belonging to small sylvan families holding unimportant geographical positions in the Dravidian area. Remnants of the ejected Kols are shown on the eastern limits, and Aryanised peoples are closed in on the entire northern boundary. The Rev. Dr. Pope, in his contribution to this book,'* gives it as his opinion that the Toda language was originally old Kanarese, and not a distinct dialect. He thinks that the language has dwindled to a mere skeleton, as a result of isolation and consequent degeneration of the people. The early Indian history of the Todas has been as com- pletely lost as that of the long protracted period which preceded their migration to the Dekkan. We know, indeed, with a tolerable degree of certainty, both from their own legends and from those of neighbouring tribes, that until the last few hundred years they inhabited a jungle tract of inferior hills situated between the Kanarese and Tamilian districts, in the direction of Hasanur ; which, on E. longitude 77° 20' and N. latitude 11° 45' form portion of the Eastern Ghats. And that they then divided into two or more parts, of which one settled in a northerly direction, near Kolegall, and the other migrated or was driven in the direction of the Nilagiri Mountain;'® the greater number Vide Chapter XXIX., ‘ Outlines of the Tuda Grammar.’ At the time of recording this opinion, Dr. Pope had not had oppor^ tunity of perusing any portion of my descriptions of Toda life. Had he done so, it is possible he might have modified his views. I, who judge the Todas physically and through their antique customs and practices, fail to discover any degeneracy in the people ; rather regarding them as not only without evidence of having been better, but with little appearance of having been materially different from what they now are, within any period whose length may be fixed or even approximated. ** Mr. Metz, who obtained this information from the Todas, is my authority for this paragraph. 8 HISTORICAL OUTLINE. CHAP. I. settling on its very topmost plateau, where we now find them, whilst a small remnant, winding behind its north-western slopes, remained on one of the lower plateaus, called the Wynad. This modern place of Toda residence is an isolated moun- tain, upwards of seven thousand feet above sea level, upreared on E. longitude 76'' 45' and N. latitude 11° 20', amidst the plains of South India — the gigantic and sudden culmination of the minor mountain-chain system, called the Eastern and Western Ghats, which there meet. These, their last movements, having been very small and of minor importance, I have included their past and their present places of residence in one area, marked VI. on the map. Not only the summit of the Nilagiris, but the tops of the minor rounded eminences thereon, are studded with kairns, raised for the reception of ashes of the dead, by a race whose history has been so completely lost that not a tradition even of it remains. On the same plateau are also a few kromlechs, also many deserted circles of stones, situated near streams of running water ; some manifestly constructed for pounding cattle, others, with equal certainty, not made for that purpose — being in exposed situations and having rocky beds. These erections undoubtedly do not belong to the Todas, who not only do not regard them with reverence, but assert that they were of a people antecedent to themselves on the mountain. Moreover they are found in many parts of the Indian peninsula and of Western India. But I may do service in drawing attention to points in which the cremation customs of this unknown race are those of the Todas, and to those in which they differ from them. In brief, we find, from relics exhumed from kairns, that their owners made use of the horse : that they practised agriculture, holding the buffalo in high esteem, and burying its bell with the manes of the deceased. We learn that they were acquainted with the use of the spear, bow and arrow : HISTORICAL OUTLINE. 9 that their women wore simple jewelry, and that all their implements, weapons and ornaments, whilst of a very primi- tive nature, were of designs extant, not only in India, but in this part of the country. We may safely deduce from the evidences of care manifest in the solidity of these stone receptacles, as well as from the positions in which we find them, both that these people held the memory of the dead in great respect, and their property alive to be their property when dead, and that their religious belief, as regards the future state, was connected by some line of thought with prominent natural features of the country. In many respects, viz. in the custom of cremation, the regard shown to buffaloes, the especial notice of its bell, the practice of burying weapons and personal ornaments, we shall find in due course, almost an identity with the obsequies and modes of thought now displayed by the Todas ; and Mr. Metz writes, concerning the Toda faith ; ‘ Their idea is that the spirits of deceased Todas, together with the souls of the buffaloes killed by their friends to accompany them to heaven and supply them with milk there, take a leap from Makiirti Peak, as the nearest way to the celestial regions.’ The chief points of variance between the two peoples, consist in the evidences in the Kairn-builders, of a civilisation — implied in the practice of agriculture, and in raising stone constructions to contain their dead — somewhat superior to that of the Todas. Regarding the matter of husbandry, the Todas could not be more backward in respect to these unknown Kairn-builders than they are behind all the tribes of Dravidians which at this very day surround and isolate them. A certain small degree only of civilisation is of necessity implied in the presence of simple implements of cultivation. The evidence of stone cemeteries, probably does not imply Metz, ‘The Tribes of the Nilgherry Hills.’ CHAP. I. CHAP. I. lO ■ HISTORICAL OUTLINE. the exercise of so much labour as would at first appear ; for what more likely- — indeed, almost certain — than that each village or family erected one once for all for itself, and that it was filled in by degrees } But it would express a method of disposing of the ashes, somewhat superior in completeness, refinement, and perhaps in depth of religious feeling, to that practised by the Todas, nothing more. No essential difference in race, but merely a tribal custom. I would advance, therefore, the great likelihood of these Kairn-builders having been members of certain Turanian tribes of a similar stage of culture to our early Dravidians ; each of which would have brought with it the custom of the particular portion of Western Asia from which it migrated — this tribe, apparently, from a rocky and hilly region. It does not seem too much to insist that, in grand migrations of primitive races, not merely families of one spirited tribe would move together, but they would be attended or followed at intervals of time by other tribes dependent on or patronised by them ; not necessarily closely related, though perhaps near neighbours. All, however, moved by the same impetus : con- tinued pressure from without, a succession of famines at the door, or a vacuum to be filled up. Had the Todas died out a hundred years ago, but little remembrance of them would survive at this day. Similarly, these defunct races live solely in their imperishable monu- ments. In Chapter XIX., on the Boath, will be found the sugges- tion that that eccentric building may have ' belonged to the Kairn-builders. I do not wish to press the theory with undue vigour ; yet, if form is in a degree, a sort of index or ex- pression of the mind that adopts it, I think that, in the unusual shape of roof (pointing upwards) in the Boath, may lurk a mental impulse in co-ordination with that which prompted them to place kairns on the top of hills; some superior HISTORICAL OUTLINE. II religious development of the tribe ; the root, I may term it, of some such conception as leads us to the words : Nearer, my God, to Thee, nearer to Thee. Certain it is that the Todas, who grovel to the earth, show in their cremation custom, as in the architecture of their most holy place, a parity in lowliness as much marked as this pro- minence of individuality which wc note in the Kairn-builders. I have apparently stepped out of my way to speculate on the remains of an unknown people, but my object has been to show a possible connection between the Kairn-builders and the Todas. CHAP. I. 12 PHRENOLOGICAL BASIS. CHAP. II. CHAPTER II. PHRENOLOGICAL BASIS. Contrast between simple and complex Races — Advantages in noting Groups of Organs — Necessity for studying individual Organs — The Properties and Positions of Groups and of the Organs in each Group — Effects of Size and Quality in Brain — Power — Two Varieties of Energy — Mutual Influence of the Organs — Correlation between Organology, Temperament, and Bodily Structure — Description of the main Tem- peraments amongst Oriental Races. In the practice of phrenology amongst a civilised people, more especially in one which is — like the English for example — the resultant breed of several distinct races, which though intimately mixed have never completely amalgamated and fused into a single type ; an apparently endless variety of combinations of organs and temperaments is met with, suf- ficient to tax the utmost sensitiveness to perception of varieties and experience of character, to decipher and analyse. In such circumstances, amongst such races, ability to estimate the exact size of each separate faculty, and its value relative to the whole mass of the cranium : to understand the influence of each mixed-temperament upon that complicated headpiece, and to take into just consideration each one of the many circumstances that would influence its activity, is absolutely essential to success. But in the examination of primitive tribes, particularly one which having long practised endogamy — or the habit of uniting in wedlock solely within its own community — is nniform in appearance, we escape most of these difficulties. Nothing per- haps marks the difference in cranial appearance, between savage PHRENOLOGICAL BASIS. and civilised races, more than the complexity in variety of temperament, the numerous shades of capacity and shape of brain, and the many degrees of sizes in organs amongst the latter, as compared with the extreme simplicity and uniformity of the former. Visit one of these very primitive endogamous tribes, and we at once find ourselves in the presence of a crowd of indi- viduals all of the same type, whose temperaments are in their least complex forms, the general size and configuration of whose skulls is very uniform and easy to read, whose figure, voice, and carriage, are similar, and whose circumstances of daily life, whether they be the cause or the effect, or the joint- cause and effect of this similarity, are throughout alike ; who in fact differ in outward appearance only in modifications — generally slight — of a few single organs. They present scarcely more differences in appearance and character than any one dog does from any other of the same kennel of hounds. For general ethnographic purposes therefore, in which research would probably be limited in its aim to determining a certain few specific points ; as for instance the relation of a given tribe to any other rude stock of man, or the acquisition of such knowledge of tribal idiosyncrasy as would afford the key to its management and education, a study of the physiog- nomy and powers of the main groups of cognate faculties, by which the elementary cranium of the savage acquires its dis- tinguishing form, combined with observation of other external evidences — as size in mass of head, simple national tempera- ment, as illustrated by physique : with voice and habits of life — will, whilst affording us much of the evidence obtainable during lifetime, also give the information necessary for learn- ing early conditions of the human race, before the brain has acquired the great diversity in development and the ampli- tude in convolution which must accompany advance from absolute savagery — or extreme primitiveness — towards the CHAP. II. 14 PHRENOLOGICAL BASIS. CHAP. II. superior stage, that of barbarism.^ At this point of progress, the study of character growing involved and complicated, by reason of the subtle influences which fine nervous conditions exert on the form of the brain, a more minute record of the sizes of single organs becomes essential, more particularly if one desires to utilise phrenology to the more advanced ethnographic study, for which the science is peculiarly adapted, viz. to trac- ing the correlatio7i between the progressive growth of races, and the developvient of their skidls at corresponding aeras of advance. If one wished to ascertain the true type of the English character — supposing there to be a type, and that it could be found — it certainly could not be even approximated, except by the analysis in character of a vast number of individuals of the race. But an average of ten of each sex would giv'e us all we should care to know of the simple Toda. With the view of enabling such of my readers as are willing, to follow me into the phrenologic mode of studying traits and customs of early races, I here give ^ briefly and concisely the attributes of each single organ and of each of the groups into which the faculties have been collected, as they would be exhibited, not so much in the conduct of civilised man, as in that of the same creature when acting under the inferior im- pulses of his primitive organisation. The capacity of the following organs and groups being described as if they were each large, their action wlmi small must be judged by supposing a proportionate absence of mani- festation. 1 Yet all barbarians have not been savages. The savage state is an energetic stage of barbarism, through which all races — especially so those who are natives of the torrid zones— do not pass. This subject is further prosecuted in the Chapter on ‘ Savage Antitype.’ ^ I beg to acknowledge the advantages I have acquired in the com- pilation of the following pages from the perusal of Professor Bain’s ‘The Study of Character,’ and Mr. Fowler’s ‘Synopsis of Phrenology,’ in addition to the standard works of Mr. George Combe and others. PHRENOLOGICAL BASIS. 15 Group A. — Concentrative. Constituent organ. I . Conccfitrativcncss. This group has but one organ. Centripetal ; it affects every faculty in the head by imparting to it continuity of thought and feeling, enabling it to concentrate the attention on one object, as contrasted with a desultory tendency. Thus it is an important element in steadiness of character, presence of mind, and good memory. It gives powers of self-abstraction. It impels to conservativism, abhorring change. It adds to the power of the will, by prolonging the sensations. Com- bined with Group B, it probably originated the belief in a future state, and suggested the desire for pyramids and mummies. A steady voice marks this Group. Positio 7 i and foi'ni. Creates a fulness in the back of the head, between Groups B and D. CHAP. II. Group B. — Domestic. Constituent organs. 2. Amativeness. Gives desire for the companionship of the opposite sex. An element in gallantry. Tends to general indecency. 3. Philoprogefiitiveness. Is the faculty which primarily gives the love of a parent for its young whilst in the weak and defenceless state. Thence general fondness for the young and weak of all ages. 4. Adhesiveness. Creates a desire for friendship apart from considerations of sex. Hence gregariousness and clan- nishness. Group B. Composed of the domestic and gregarious pro- pensities. It impels to marriage ; and in its love of children, fondness for the opposite sex, desire for friendship, regard for i6 PHRENOLOGICAL BASIS. CHAP. II. the dead, and love for the family or home, imparts the con- stituents of a warm-hearted disposition. Low and tender notes are the expression of this Group. Position and form. Causes elongation and fulness in the middle and lower portion of the back of the head. Group C. Invigorating.” Constituefit organs. 5. Combativeness. Occasions opposiveness and willingness to meet physical danger ; is therefore a main element in active courage and fortitude. Likes close fighting. 6. Destructivejiess. Prompts to overcome difficulties by exertion, and gives the energy required. Tends to acts of revenge and cruelty, to suicide, sanguinary rites and canni- balism. Suggested the idea of perpetual punishment. Is accompanied by violence of temper. Believed to give forti- tude to bear physical pain. 7. Seeretiveness. Enjoins secrecy and silence. Gives the main element of tact, finesse, cunning, and capacity to hide one’s own feelings, with skill to penetrate the designs of others. Tends to distrust, duplicity, and treachery. Combined with Destructiveness, enjoys the act of torture and refinements of cruelty. In war would be partial to ambushes and per- haps night attacks ; in religion would practise mystic rites. 8. Acqrdsitiveness. Occasions desire generally. Gives talent for accumulation. Tenacious, it is opposed to com- munism. Tends to rapacity and theft. 9. Alimentativeness. Is the organ which gives discrimina- tion in the flavour of food, and fondness for variety in diet ; tends to gluttony. Combined with Destructiveness, demands flesh and stimulants ; and, under exciting circumstances, prompts to cannibalism. When combined with a high coronal region, is also very partial to sweets. 10. Construetive 7 iess. Creates talent for building and con- trivance. Gave men houses, implements, forts and weapons. PHRENOLOGICAL BASIS. 17 Group C. Gives impulses to overcome difficulty of every CHAP, nature, and to subdue. To provide by action for the daily .. — ^ — animal wants of self and — in combination with Group B — of family. Hence it imparts vigour, skilful efficiency, and impetus to the whole character, by stimulating the other faculties. When in excess, the character tends to treachery, avarice, gluttony, and general ferocious habit. Harsh low tones express the activity of this Group. Positioti and form. Gives breadth and fulness to the sides of the head, immediately around and in front of the ears. When Destructiveness is very large, the holes of the ears are placed low with reference to the line of the eyebrows. Group D. Personal. Constituent organs. 11. Self-esteem. Gives self-regard and pride. Tends to self-reliance. Is fond of power. Sensitive to personal po- sition. Enamoured of freedom. 12. Love of approbation. Desires to please. Vain. Fond of ornament. Sensitive to outside opinion. Tends to courtesy and the use of flattery. 1 3. Firmness. Gives capacity for pursuing a line of conduct, when unopposed. Is the main element in decision of cha- racter. Apt to decide too soon. Tends to obstinacy. Group D supplies will and self-confidence, and gives per- sonal motives, as pride, vanity, and perseverance, tending to action on account of self or — in combination with Group B — of family interests. Connected with Group E, it assumes an elevating and ennobling character, with a hatred of tyranny and desire to protect. Combined with Groups A and E, gave mainly the conception of Jehovah to the Jews. The voice of this Group is firm and measured. Position and form. Creates an elongation and fulness of and around the pole of the head, whence the hair radiates. c PHRENOLOGICAL BASIS. Group E. Moral. Constituent organs. 14. Conscientiousness. Gives love of truth, and of what is honest, just, right or faithful. Gives earnestness and sim- plicity to character. Gives the appearance of truth even to falsehood. Is apt to be harsh and exacting. Tends to aus- terities, asceticism, and general self-sacrifice. 15. Veneration. Desires to pay respect ; raises and multi- plies objects of worship ; prompts to religious service, the nature of rites and sacrifices being dependent on the combi- nations made with other organs, as Amativeness, Destructive- ness, Hope, Conscientiousness. Tends to slavishness. 16. Hope. Gives sanguine feelings, supporting and en- couraging the belief in a future state, and inciting to acts by which it may be attained. Leads to idleness. Is a great element in the gambling spirit. 17. Benevolence. Leads to kindness, liberality, and mercy. Its impulse is, to give ; thus tending to prodigality. 18. Cautiousness. Affords the desire to act with care and circumspection, and to provide for dangerous contingencies. If not coupled with Combativeness, tends to cowardice. Group E. Creates virtuous sentiments, emotions, and duties of a sincere, generous, hopeful, and reverential nature. Combined with Amativeness and with Group C, religious action degenerates into the performance of sensual and cruel rites. In combination with Group D, it partakes of a per- sonal nature ; Group F supplying it with an element of romance, poetry, or superstition ; and Groups G, H, and I with system and logic. Soft and rich tones are the natural expression of this group. Position a 7 id form. Gives fulness, height, and an arched appearance to the whole crown or roof of the head. 18 CHAP. II. PHRENOLOGICAL BASIS. Group F. Refining. Constituent organs. 19. Imitation. Copies sounds, actions, forms, thoughts. By perpetuating usage, preserves results of progress. An element in all arts. Induces men to follow a lead. 20. Wonder. Is interested in the unseen or unusual. Tends to superstition. Gives credence in gods, spirits, ghosts, and witchcraft. Is a source of myths and legends. Exaggerates. Leads to investigation and to gossip. 21. Ideality. Loves the beautiful. Gives grace to all con- ceptions. Partial to ornament. Is a bardic element, and A gave gods to the Aryas. Group F. The refinement of the human race, or its pro- gress beyond the material, owes its growth to the impulse given both to morals and the intellect by the imaginative, inquiring, speculative, inventive qualities of this group. Position and form. Causes breadth and fulness of the head, from the top of the temples to the forepart of the crown. Group G. Reflective. Constituent organs. 22. Wit. Notices incongruity. Is a main element in the sense of the ludicrous. Gives suppleness, discrimination, and resource to the intellect by presenting various sides of a question. Assists in caricaturing. 23. Causality. Observes the just relation between cause and effect. Acts with reason and judgment. Tends to ex- cessive refinement in logical conception. 24. Comparison. Notices resemblances. Reasons by ana- logy. Is a source of parables and proverbs. Assists in CHAP. II. C 2 20 PHRENOLOGICAL BASIS. CHAP. II. creating gods, and fashioning idols and symbols generally. Gives nicknames. Group G. By its evolutionary powers of thought and reason, by its capacity for perceiving the connection between cause and effect, and for dividing truth from absurdity, is rendered not only competent to superintend the operations of all the other groups — leading them to act with judgment — but places them in a position to realise the true connection of all the parts of the universe. When this group is well developed, man has long left the savage stage. Position and form. Gives height, fulness, and breadth to the upper part of the forehead. Group H. j Perceptive. I Dynamical. Co 7 istituent orgatts. 25. Language. Gives to every faculty, power of expressing itself by signs or words. Articulates. Tends to garrulity. 26. Eventuality. Observes movements, events, and mus- cular expressions. Gives an inquiring nature, with much of intuition. Impulsive. An element in all dances. Gesticulates. 27. Thne. Notices lapse of time. Gives cadence in song or dance. Tends to periodic celebrations. 28. Ttine. Observes quality, succession, and harmony in tones of sound. Is an element in singing, and chief organ in musical composition. Prompts to invention of musical instruments. Group H. Contains such faculties as obtain practical knowledge through observation of movement. Has great power of expressing ideas. Position and form. Creates fulness, breadth, and square- ness to the middle-horizontal zone of the forehead, and gives prominence to the eyes. PHRENOLOGICAL BASIS. 21 ^ ^ f Perceptive. Group I.l ^ i Statical. Cojistitiient organs. 29. Number. Gives conception of numbers, and power to calculate and compute values. Is an important element in the talent for commerce and barter. Tends to economy and to love of money. 30. Order. Notes method in the relative position and succession of things. Gives neatness, and fondness for dress. 3 1 . Colour. Perceives colours, the quality and harmony of their shades. Renders the sight of flowers pleasing. Gives colour in dress. 32. Weight. Gives sensibility in matters of weight and lightness, stability and resistance ; as in the balance or poise, the touch, degree of force to be used. Gives dexterity in mental processes. Is fond of glitter. Is a source of skill in many games, as riding, and throwing weapons. Suggested the shape of the Pyramids. 33. Locality. Takes cognisance of the relative position of objects. Gives coup d'oeil. Is fond of travelling ; combined with large Eventuality, and deflcient Concentrativeness, Ac- quisitiveness, and Order, tends to a vagrant life. 34. Individuality. Notes the existence of objects, without regard to their properties or modes of action. 35 . Form. Judges of form; aids in making idols, hiero- glyphs, and weapons. Joined with Size, Weight, and Com- parison, gives judgment in the useful qualities of animals. 36. Size. Estimates size. Takes cognisance of space. Geometric. Is necessary in projecting missiles at unknown distances. Group I. Is constituted of such faculties as obtain practical knowledge through noting statistics ; as material objects. CHAP. II. 22 PHRENOLOGICAL BASIS. CHAP, facts, places, and numbers, with their physical properties and — — ' mutual relations. Position and form. Causes protrusion, breadth and square- ness of the whole ridge of the forehead on which the eyebrows grow ; forming what is termed ‘ deep-set eyes.’ The distance from the hole of the ear to the forehead is long. It is not to be expected that the precise same collection of organs as I have included in each group will meet with universal approval. It must remain a matter of opinion whether certain faculties included in one cluster should not more properly belong to another, owing to the circumstance that organs often possess qualities partaking somewhat of the nature of one or more of those immediately adjoining them. Thus, Wit may by some be held a reflective faculty; by others, to be more imaginative. And with much appearance of truth. Cautiousness, whilst acknowledged to be eminently conducive to morality, may yet be esteemed a propensity. Whilst adopting from Mr. Fowler® the idea of grouping organs together, I have yet been induced to make certain modifications from the groups he formed, guided by personal observation of the forms which — as I think I notice — the skulls of simple races actually assume. Prolonged study alone of such people, in various stages of their early culture, will demonstrate with any degree of certainty, the exact mode and succession by which man’s cranium expands, unfolds, or blooms ; but assuredly that study will well repay all trouble that can be bestowed upon it. It is now universally admitted that, other conditions being equal, size of brain — the organ of the mind — is a measure of power in its manifestation, as in that of all other organs of the body. Professor Bain writes, ‘Just as largeness of muscle gives greater strength of body as a general rule, so largeness ® Fowler, ‘Synopsis of Phrenology.’ PHRENOLOGICAL BASIS. 23 of brain gives greater vigour of mental impulse.’^ ‘ The causes which modify the effects of size, are constitution, or quality, health, exercise, excitement from external objects, and in some cases the mutual influence of the organs.’ ® In fact, ‘ quality is as important as quantity, whether in nerve, muscle, or any other portion of the animal structure.’ ® What holds true of the whole is equally applicable as regards its com- ponent parts ; hence, size of any organ, or of any group of organs, is, c<^teris parihis, a measure of its or their capacity to act. Power is the product of size and quality. Energy and rapidity being results of size and quality, combined in different proportions. In studying the subject of energy in character, we should be careful to make a marked difference between that nature of vigour which arises from a brilliant temperament combined with well-developed Destructiveness and Combativeness, and that which is the result of the fine temperament acting with those organs small. The former works full power ; actively, energetically, and with strength rising in proportion to the obstacles it meets, and lasting into advanced years. The latter shows the greatest brilliancy in positions where least opposition is met with ; and its energy being very largely dependent on the state of the nervous system, the vigour of youth and health is often early supplanted by indolence. It must be remembered, when judging of the joint action of two or more organs, that they habitually exert a mutual influence, tending to modify the mode in which both operate. But that at times they may act individually or separately according as one or other may be under the influence of ex- citing causes. Thus, Benevolence and Destructiveness when in unison, may give either active energy in doing a kind act, and in overcoming obstacles that may intervene between its * Bain, ‘ The Senses and the Intellect.’ ® G. Combe, ‘ Elements of Phrenology.’ ® Bain, ‘ The Senses and the Intellect.’ CHAP. II. 24 PHRENOLOGICAL BASIS. CHAP. II. performance ; or they may operate to modify desire for revenge. On the other hand, if acting apart, the head would at one time be influenced by bloodthirsty desires, and at another by kindly motives. Important constitutional qualities are to a certain extent indicated by Temperament ; regarding which, although we have very much to learn as to its origin, modes of action, and precise effects in the economy of our system : yet, judging from the analogies nature continually presents to our con- sideration, in which — as an illustration — we observe the con- cord between the habits of birds of prey and the shape of their skull, beak, talons, and general configuration as con- trasted with the inoffensive character and forms of the pigeon ; I hold the belief — which can become illusionary only when hawk’s talons are met allied with pigeon’s brains — that an inti- mate connection, more close than we perhaps generally appre- hend, will be shown with the advance of morphology and physiology, to exist through links of simple cause and effect, between the shapes which portions of the brain assume, and the temperament which results from certain conditions and relative proportions of our physical structure. The study of temperament has hitherto been mainly con- ducted by examination of its effects in complex civilised life : but much advantage might accrue to our stock of knowledge, if the subject was prosecuted amongst isolated wild tribes* The conditions of their lives would afford many opportunities of watching the effects on negative as well as on positive developments of mind, of temperaments in various simple and healthy forms. ‘ There may be one ’ organ of the body ‘ vigorous and all the rest weak ; one vigorous, the rest average ; two vigorous and all the others weak ; none prepon- derating, and all good, all middling, or all bad ; and so on through endless combinations.’ ’’ At present there is a seeming antagonism between organ- Bain, ‘ The Senses and the Intellect.’ PHRENOLOGICAL BASIS. 25 ology and temperament, which further information might perhaps dissipate. For instance, the Fibrous combined with a brain deficient in the propensities and power of Will, or the Sanguine with small Hope and desire for motion, would seem to be anomalies. In both instances, the desire for action which the temperament brought, would not find correlation with harmonious mental desires. The following extracts from Mr. George Combe’s inter- esting work, ‘ Phrenology applied to Painting and Sculpture,’ affords some examples of his opinion as to the relation between size in particular regions of the brain and particular characteristics of the body. ‘ There is a correspondence betw’een the thorax and abdomen and brain. It is rarely that a large anterior lobe and narrow base are combined with large lungs and a large abdomen. And equally seldom that a large base and small anterior lobe are combined with small lungs and a small abdomen.’ Again, ‘ There is, generally speaking, a decided character pervading the whole corporeal frame of man, which bears a relation to the size, form, and condition of the brain. And every part of the visible surface expresses the quantity as well as the quality of the mental power which animates it.’ * I have observed a marked connection between the brachy- cephalous head — so termed by ethnographers — and broad shoulders. Although from exceptional causes the rule will not always hold good amongst individuals of a mixed race, yet an inspection of masses of men of the dolichocephalic type of nation, will convince most people that they cannot campare in width of shoulder with the brachycephali.® A correlation may be noted between the high coronal region and sloping shoulders. A connection between Alimentativeness and the organs of digestion is evident. When the faculty is small, the abdomi- ® G. Combe, ‘ Phrenology applied to Painting and Sculpture.’ ® This subject is continued in Chapter IX. CHAP. II. 26 PHRENOLOGICAL BASIS. CHAP. II. nal region will be small also ; and be generally accompanied by tendency to the maladies which arise from weak powers in that region. When large, the converse may with equal cer- tainty be looked for. The following are the outward indications by means of which the four main temperaments may be recognised amongst dark races, and their effects on the working qualities of body and brain. The Temperaments. Fibrous. Physiognomy. A large lean frame of compact bone and hard spare muscles. Thorax broad rather than deep. Ab- domen moderate. Feet and hands broad and thick. Strong fingers and stout nails. Teeth strong, broad, yellow, and blunt-edged. Bold features : nose a coarse aquiline. Eyes bright and dark ; the whites not clear. Skin coarse and hairy. Hair coarse and curly. Brain. The mind energetic, but not vivid : with power ol long continued action, conspicuously so when ‘ mental exertion involves the muscles, which happens in such avocations as military command, teaching, speaking.’ This temperament, from the excess of muscular energy over nerve, forms an excellent combination with the nervous ; the amalgam, where the brain is large, giving great intellectual activity joined with powers of mental and bodily endurance. Where uncombined with the nervous temperament, and the brain is small, the energies show best when employed in ope- rations requiring physical strength and moderate intelligence. Musadar action. Sedate. Bain, ‘On the Study of Character.’ PHRENOLOGICAL BASIS. 27 Nervous}'^ Physiognomy. A slight frame, with small bones and mus- cles. Small thorax and abdomen. Feet and hands narrow. Taper fingers and thin, often paper nails. Teeth very white, and frequently sharp-edged. Apt to be crowded together, and to decay early. Refined features : nostrils long, narrow, and thin. Eyes bright and often brilliant. Whites very clear. Skin thin, delicate. Body nearly free from hair. Hair on the scalp, close, silky, and nearly straight, but often very long. Brain. All the senses very acute. The mind impressible, clear, active, vivid or intense, but fatigues easily. Expression eminently intelligent and sensitive. Great definition of organs, arising from leanness of the skull. This temperament, from the excess of nerve, ‘delights in mental emotion and intellectual pursuits.’ But where the brain is intrinsically small, the energies waste themselves in excitement about trifles. It gives what is termed ‘ blood,’ and tends to degenerate into ‘ want of bone,’ with its concomi- tant, deficient strength. Muscular action. Rapid and sharp, often confused and hurried. Sanguine. Physiognomy. A well developed handsome form, with full rounded, rather than hard muscles. Thorax deep rather than broad. Abdomen full. Sternum protruding. Hands and feet well shaped, with high instep. Healthy looking, pink, rounded nails. Perhaps the inhabitant of Bengal Proper, in the neighbourhood of Calcutta, affords the best national example of this temperament. ** G. Combe, ‘ Elements of Phrenology.’ CHAP. II. 28 PHRENOLOGICAL BASIS. CHAP. II. Teeth long, strong, rather yellow, blunt-edged. Nostrils broad and rather open. Eyes open, ardent. Whites often blood-shot. Pupils blue amongst some races. More generally hazel. Skin moderately fine, warm, often rich coloured and ruddy. Hair: plenty of beard and whisker, of moderate firmness, wavy and flowing. Brain. Vigorous, vivacious, ardent, enthusiastic, where the interests, emotions, or passions are engaged ; otherwise apt to be indolent. Works best when business and physical pleasure combine. This temperament, with its vigorous circulatory system, combines well with the nervous and fibrous tempera- ments ; the three together giving activity,, strength, and buoyancy both of mind and body. But ‘ combined with much of the lymphatic, it is unfavourable to mental manifestations, and requires almost constant exercise in the open air.’*^ Muscular action. Buoyant and active. Lymphatic. This temperament is rarely to be met with amongst dark races. But Mr. Combe describes its appearance in western nations as follows : — ‘ The lymphatic temperament is dis- tinguishable by a round form of body, softness of the mus- cular system, repletion of the cellular tissue, fair hair, a pale clear skin, and a hazy sleepy eye. It is accompanied by languid vital actions, and weakness and slowness in the circulation. The brain, as a part of the system, is also slow, languid, and feeble in its action, and the mental manifesta- tions are proportionally sluggish and weak.’'^ Fowler, ‘ Synopsis of Phrenology.’ G. Combe, ‘ Elements of Phrenology.’ PHYSIOLOGY OF THE TODAS. 29 CHAPTER III. PHYSIOLOGY OF THE TODAS. Table of Relative Proportions in the Toda Head — Scheme of numbering Organs — No Skulls procurabl^— Individual Organs frequently assume abnorfnal Proportions — Difference between the Sexes — Calliper Mea- surements — Amativeness of moderate Size — Why should Form be singularly stnall ? — Physical Appearance of the Todas — Their Tem- perament — Largest and smallest Groups, The Table No. i, which represents the relative proportions in size of organs and groups of organs in the Toda head, is the recorded result of thirty-six manipulations in each of eighteen nearly unselected adults of both sexes. In inviting some degree of confidence in these investigations, it is neces- sary for me to disclaim pretensions to their absolute accuracy ; for many circumstances which need scarcely be here enume- rated, including the actual difficulty in obtaining satisfactory results in investigations amongst very thick tangled hair, oppose themselves to the practical attainment of such a result, however desirable. Yet, confident in my desire to obtain a correct record of the form of the savage skull, by maintaining as far as possible, freedom from bias or preference, I think that the averages at least, both of organs and of groups, may be recommended as containing as much of truth as may be obtained under like circumstances by any process of analysis with which science is at present acquainted. The unvarying type of the Toda head, and the extra- ordinary uniformity of its general size, suggested to me both the possibility and the advantage of the principle adopted in recording these measurements ; of referring them all to one CHAP. III. Relative Proportions in Size of Organs and Groups of Organs in the Toda Head. 30 PHYSIOLOGY OF THE TODAS. CHAP III. PHYSIOLOGY OF THE TODAS, 31 «-n ^ ^ CO CO CO CO tJ* XO CO ^ CO N N CO ^ xn xn xn ^ xn ^ u-> eo Th N CO « N « N Tt N NN N N CO CO CO CO li^vO w> i/^ ro Tj- CO CO ro ■e- CO Tj- CO N M CO CO Tf CO CO CO CO rOvO Tf u-j fO xo N 2 2 4 c< \n t|- >M CO N ^ xnvO vO Th CO rf ^ fO ^ CO CO CO ^ N CO ^ ^ xn Tf rj“ CO CO xn xn xn ^ xn N \0 CO'O CO 4 I I N CO xo N \n ^ NN N N rt* ^ CO CO CO 10 xn Tf 10 CO CO CO Tt- N CO ^ ^ xn rj- CO N « CO Tj- CO CO CO N vO xmo N 2 2 2 1 2 2 N NN « « CO CO CO CO CO xn CO ^ CO CO N CO Tf N ^ N- ►- N CO cOvO xn CO CO CO ^vO N Tj- fO'O vO CO N Tf rj- CO • N xn ^ cj N N xnvO vO N ^ VO CO CO ^ CO N CO N CO xo tJ- xn ^ « N CO ^vO C^vO ^ xn N CO C< CO 2 1 2 •-< «-H N covO xn iM CO CO xnvo xn CO N ^ tJ- Tj* tJ* Tj- CO N CO CO tJ- xr> xnvO vO M N CO t^vO ^ xn N Tt* N XO CO CO ^ CO CO CO ^ VO xn xn CO N CO ^ t^vo Ml xn xr> xo Tj- xr> ^ XO CO CO ^ xn vO vO 'O Ml N N vO vO vo vO tJ" xn xn vrj XT) xn rf ^ CO CO CO ^vO COO ^ N N N ^vo t^vO xn xovO xi-ivO ^ xo CO rf N CO XO ^ ^ Tj- ^ xn ^ N Ml vO vO CO 10 CO CO « NN CO ^ fO xn N iM ■M CO ^vo i>* CO xn N Tj- CO Tf N N M M Mi C< « ^ mn ^ N CJ CO CO CO CO N CO N N CO N « N- *- N N tJ* N NM Ml N N Tf xn — Ml xr^vO xnvO ^ xr> rf tJ* CO ^ xn ^ xn ^ Tj- CO CO Tj- xnvo vo ’'J* xn 0 vO xovO ^ vO ^ Tj* Ti-\o \0 vO vO CO Tf vO T:^ t>. CO ^ ONOO 0^ ^ xr >\0 0 ON^O 0 0^ 0 ON CO CO CO Ov 0 ^ xnvO CO XO CO Tf M CO N N N N CO CO CO CO Ml CO CO ^ ^ CO CO 00 xr> CO Th vO COVO CO M. 0 ^ xn ^vO CO in xn Ox N xn CO ^ CO ^ CO CO N N CO ^ V xn Tt Ml • • • • c lA S Oi ^ ° a ■ g S c-2 J g g s s S; -B C C g- c Imitation Wonder . Ideality . c • 0 ci rt CU .ti S s >» . . .ti § 5 tuO C ^ 4> c 0 S c 0 0 i- c m:»U ►>. rt 0 rt > .5 s h; WHH 12:0 0 ° e 0 -S U> xn - N - CO N CO vo Ui plH 0 w M C4 CHAP. HI. PHYSIOLOGY OF THE TODA.S. standard by giving one number (7) for the largest, and one number (i) for the smallest organ in every head. Thus each number in the table not only indicates the relative proportion which a certain organ bears to every other faculty in the same head, but in all the crania of both sexes throughout the tribe. In pursuing this scheme, not only has a fair amount of accuracy been maintained in the observations, but a trustworthy average has been recorded for each organ, and thence — by similar process — of each group in the Toda skull. It will prove an interesting and valuable practical result, if by means of this process, we may be enabled to form a really true estimate of savage type, and learn the precise character and capabilities of any individual wild tribe. Although amongst these figures the proportions of some of the ablest* and most respected members of the tribe are represented, it will be observed how similar the main forms of their skulls are, and that variations are confined entirely to single organs whilst the groups maintain a surpassing uni- formity of appearance. Two portraits — in side and full face — of a man and a woman, photographed to scale, are here given, by which some means are afforded of comparing the descriptions which are given in these pages with examples of ‘ real life,’ and of enabling my readers to supply any other processes of esti- mating character from forms of crania, or of usefully classi- fying races that may be known to them. It is unfortunate that no member of either sex could be induced to submit to having the head shaved. As the practice of cremation is the universal mode of disposing of the dead, the portraiture of a head without hair or of a skull without flesh could by no manner of chance be ob- tained. The male subject in the picture was selected solely 1 This reminds one somewhat that the emperor of the Lilliputians was ‘ taller, by almost the breadth of my nail, than any of his court, which alone is enough to strike an awe into his beholders.’ N? 3 N? 5 PHYSIOLOGY OF THE TODAS. 33 on account of being one of the baldest men of the tribe, though his head is also above the average. The woman — well, beauty has charms ! She was so good-natured or so vain as to put her hair into ‘ curl-papers ’ for me ; but she was photographed as she now appears because the curls formed artificial ‘bumps’ interfering with my purposes. In other parts of this book the portraits of two women will be found who had been chosen on account of unusual deve- lopment ; No. 25, ‘The Little Savage,’ has the largest Veneration, and No. 16, Avv, the largest Firmness I saw. Perhaps the rnost noteworthy information which a close scrutiny of the figures of Table No. i affords, is that not- withstanding all the members of this little tribe have — as will be described in future chapters — intermarried most intimately for untold generations, and have lived under precisely similar circumstances, yet in the midst of the remarkable ziniformity of cranial development, ivhich is evidently a result of this in- cestuous state, individual faetdties frequently assume abnormal proportions, large and small, considerably at variance with the common average. This affords us some slight insight into the working of nature in respect of national growth ; enabling us to apprehend with what readiness, varieties may originate in a race whose marriage custom is opposed to incest, or whose families separating from one another, form social unions varying with the differing circumstances in which each may in course of generations be placed. It is the induration of these eccen- tric organic growths through hereditary descent, which gives us permanent varieties of the human race. Although this Table bears internal evidence to the fact that the Toda head, simple as it is, is not as simple as it might be, and that in consequence it has no title to be con- sidered as a sample of an absolutely primeval race ; yet, amidst many points deserving attention, it possesses one of peculiar interest ; through pointing to the nature and amount of difference existing between the sexes, in a tribe D CHAP. III. 34 PHYSIOLOGY OF THE TODAS. CHAP. III. a a H ■The heads are not in the same succession as those in Table No. PHYSIOLOGY OF THE TODAS. 35 which is not more advanced than the remotely-ancient CHAP, people living towards the end of the glacial period in Europe, — the surviving records of whose dexterous skill and admirable artistic efforts, mark them as having been fully the Todas’ equal in point of talent, and who certainly could not have been much their inferior in point of reverential and moral qualities. The calliper measurements of Table No. 2 distinctly show the mass of the female head of this early type of man to be smaller than that of the male. It appears by the evidence of Table No. i to have a small advantage in organs affording the love of children and adhesive feelings, also in Veneration among the moral faculties. But the women are strikingly inferior to the men in respect to the entire range of the perceptive faculties, and even in the reflective powers, small though they are amongst the latter. Amativeness is rather small in both sexes, and it is remarkable and seemingly un- accountable that in the midst of so many large perceptive faculties, the organ of Form should frequently be found undersized. I cannot doubt the correctness in my observa- tion of this organ, for the characteristic I notice, will be found in several places in this book, to be fully borne out by the evidence of facts. One of three occurrences must have happened ; the an- cestral Toda must have developed, with the organ of Form alone small : or, supposing all the perceptive faculties to have been originally given to him of small size. Form must have failed to progress from its primeval dimension at the same rate as those other faculties by which we find it immediately surrounded ; as for instance. Size, Individuality, Locality, and Weight : or, again, supposing the converse to have happened, that man was originally formed with all the per- ceptive powers large, this organ must at some subsequent period have become atrophied. The point of interest lies in the speculation ; what nature of selection operating on men’s characters, what circumstance in which simple races 36 PHYSIOLOGY OF THE TODAS. CHAP. III. ever find themselves, could have had an impression so great as to have left this permanent stamp on the Toda forehead. The following description of the physical appearance of the Todas will, I trust, prove of some value. Eyebrows. Horizontal, straight and of medium length ; never short, sometimes long ; approach each other. Some- times fine — willow leaf — generally somewhat bushy, with hairs close and, amongst the women, soft like a beaver’s. Nose. Generally narrow and of medium height at the base ; nasal bones broad at the lower end ; long ; superciliary ridge in both sexes often very strongly marked ; sometimes aquiline, often nearly so, never retrouss^. Rather fleshy ; ^ nostrils rather dilated, but sometimes long and fine. The nose rarely appears at perfection before mid-age. Mouth. Somewhat fleshy ; rather short upper lip, and rather protruding and pendant lower lip — often strikingly so, becoming more evident with advancing years. Gums. Generally purple, but often of a bright, highly oxygenated red colour. Teeth. Sometimes short and broad, in others long ; nearly all are even, yellowish, but bright, with rounded edges, set in roomy but not large jaws. With some the teeth are set at intervals, spreading outwards like a fan. In a few cases they were found cramped and crushed together ; in one or two instances the eye-teeth were prominent. The teeth last till old age. Ears. Generally flat to the head, never standing out ; long, and with a large fleshy lobe. The orifice is nearly on a line with the eyebrow. Hair of head. In both sexes black and heavy; in some cases close and tolerably fine, in others as much separate as in a wig, and coarse ; wavy rather than curly. Both men and women habitually cut their hair, the former to about the level of the nose, and the latter at the shoulder. There are t\\ o or three nearly bald men in the tribe, but no bald women. PHYSIOLOGY OF THE TODAS. 37 Beard and whiskers. As a general rule very thick and coarse, wavy rather than curly, extending to the eyes. A few delicate men are deficient in hair. Hair on body. At about the age of thirty often covers the entire body, as appears on the full-length photograph, espe- cially over abdomen, chest and shoulders. Boys of fourteen are often covered with down. Women have sometimes fine hair between the shoulder-blades. Eyes. Of medium size, a few rather large ; somewhat long, though some are nearly round ; horizontal ; in varying shades of brown, from hazel to snaky or beady, never blue or bluish ; whites rather yellow. General expression of full average intelligence, some very soft and even sad ; doggish ; almost all have a great power of lighting up, in some to a wonderful extent, flashing, when under even slight excite- ment, like brilliants. Eyelash. Rather straight, and of moderate length and closeness, never short, but sometimes long. Eace. Rather long, oval, of pleasant contour, without anything harsh or unusual in it, but, on the contrary, often refined ; a few instances of rather high cheek-bones. The jaw is sometimes, but very rarely, a little prognathous. Nails of hand. Sometimes short and square, but more generally long and oval ; convex, strong. Nails of feet. Are more flat, probably from walking bare- footed on the wet grass. Fingers. Some square ; more often rather taper. Feet. Of medium breadth. In strong people thick, but among the weakly, thin. The instep is rarely above an average in height, often very low ; the heel of ordinary shape, and rather small. Skin. Of medium texture, brown, much the colour of the Sikhs, often warm and copperish, a few fairer. Abdomen. Small ; a paunch is never to be seen. Thorax. Moderate ; the largest girth does not exceed CHAP. III. PHYSIOLOGY OF THE TODAS. 38 CHAP. 33 in. Photograph No. 7 is the picture of one of the most - — r-^ — - sturdy men of the tribe. Height. Of men, from 5 ft. 4 in. to 6 ft. i in. ; average about 5 ft. 8 in. Of women, from 4 ft. 10 in. to 5 ft. 4 ^ in. ; average about 5 ft. I in. There are no very short people. Weight. Of men from about no to 155 lbs. There are reasons why the weight of women cannot be accurately ascer- tained ; but it is believed to vary between 90 and 1 30 lbs. Shoulders. Angular, never sloping, generally with a flat back. Muscles. Never large ; hard rather than full ; some de- cidedly below the average. The general mass of the tribe are fairly, often well grown ; straight and lank, without deformity, but without any really fine people. The men’s carriage is erect, free and unconstrained, without being either bold or athletic. Their manners and tone of voice are self-possessed, suave, quiet, and solemn : the women substituting a pleasing cheerfulness for solemnity. When quiescent, their expression and carriage has much oriental repose in it. The temperament of such a people as has just been described would in the main be fibrous, with some of the sanguine or the nervous in individuals ; especially so in the female sex, many of whom I noticed show a considerable amount of the nervous with advancing years. Such a national temperament is more suited to the display of qualities requiring muscular energy for their support, than of those in which the subtilty of intellect would take part. We find the cranium, taken as a whole, to be of an average size ; comprising certain very strong, and certain equally and lamentably weak, points of form. The singular uniformity in contour of all the heads has already been observed upon. In order to form a correct, and therefore complete judg- ment of a man’s character, it is not sufficient to take a N?7 PHYSIOLOGY OF THE TODAS. 39 mere general view of its shape, and imagine it as acting under CHAP. the influence of an average pressure. But it is necessary to , ^ — - master all its details. Firstly, to study the relative sizes of the groups ; which knowledge will give a good general ac- quaintance with the disposition. Then to fill in this outline by examining all the organs of each group, so that an estimate may be formed of minute peculiarities in the idiocrasy of the person. By these processes we shall ascertain the greatest capacity of the head for acting, when most favourably placed for the display of its highest qualities ; and to learn in what directioh, and to what extent, it will certainly fail when situated under the influence of adverse circumstances. By abstracting from Table No. i, we find the following to be the largest and the smallest groups ; the action of Avhich, will, as might be expected, display the real character of the Toda. The medium groups will not exert much active influence one way or the other. Very large. The Domestic (B) and Concentrative (A) Groups, almost throughout both sexes of the entire tribe, would be considered large in any race ; Amativeness, which is of average dimensions, being undoubtedlj^ the smallest organ in them. considerably in individuals. Locality, Individuality, and Weight are the largest organs of the group ; whilst Form and Colour are often very small, and never attain the highest figure. Amongst the women this group is below average. Very small. The Invigorating (C), the Reflective (G), the Refining (F), and the orderly-calculating organs of Group I', are, with little exception, extremely small in both sexes ; Comparison and Imitation being exceptionally large ; and Alimentativeness, Wit, Wonder, Order, and Number the smallest organs. f Perceptive The i ^ , '■Statical nearly equally large as the above ; though it varies in size The { 40 PHYSIOLOGY OF THE TODAS. CHAP. m. Medium. Those groups which record events, give self- reliance, and tend to general morality (H, D, E), can neither be termed large nor small ; but vary considerably with in- dividuals of both sexes, in the size of their composing organs ; Eventuality, Firmness, Veneration, and Benevolence being the largest, and Language, Tune, Caution, and Hope the smallest faculties. Women have a superiority in Veneration and Benevo- lence over the men ; whilst the males are the more observant. The character of the-Toda is written in his acts, described upon the whole face of this book.^ I see no reason why, if caught young, he should not prove as intelligent and a'S useful a member of society as the humble Ryot of India. We may at least compare him with the ancient Celt of our own country, of whom it has been written ; ‘Do not obtain your slaves from Britain, because they are so stupid, and utterly incapable of being taught, that they are not fit to form part of the house- hold of Athens.’ ® ^ I abstain from giving a diagnosis of the Toda character ; such as would be deduced from the sizes of his organs, the nature of his tempera- ment, and the circumstances of his life ; fearing to trespass on the patience of my, readers. ® Cicero’s letter to Atticus. CHARACTERISTICS. 41 CHAPTER IV. CHARACTERISTICS. Talking Voices — Modes of Salutation — Home Life — Frank and obliging Natures — Colour of the Skin — Tattoo Marks — Ornaments — Boys dis- tingtiished from Girls — Apparel — Toilette. 0 The Toda talking voice is peculiar; particularly so that of the women. Whilst on the part of the men it is strikingly grave and sedate, spoken almost sotto voce : the women’s voice, on the contrary", is rather high, appearing to come altogether from the region at the back of the ear — the ‘ mas- toid process.’ In both sexes, but particularly with the female, the sound of the voice is somewhat musical and refined, though fatiguing to listen to from its monotonous tone. Indeed, it is somewhat astonishing that some harsh syllables of their language should come so softly from such mouths. The refinement arises doubtless, from the gentleness of their dispositions — void of asperity ; its friendliness, accompanied by desire to please. Not from any innate sense of tune, for they have no more ear for music than so many crows. Their amiability shows itself also in their observance of courteous customs. The salaam of the East, performed amongst the Todas by raising the thumb-edge of the right hand vertically to the nose and forehead, is a respectful form of address; used in addressing superiors, and on approach to sacred places, and other like occasions. When asked by what name they styled that form of salute, they replied : ‘ Itva eshken, swami eshken,’ or, ‘ I say, come ! I say. Lord ! ’ That mode of salutation which is most employed amongst Cll 42 CHARACTERISTICS. CHAP. IV. equals, is the short exclamation of ‘Tya!’ or ‘Tcha!’ corre- sponding in its tone and mode of use to our own expression of ‘ Good morning ! ’ when friends meet or pass one another. The meaning of the word is not known to me. Perhaps it has no actual meaning, though similarity of sound suggests the Hindustani word ‘ Achcha,’ good, well — as having the same derivation. The salute called ‘ Adabuddiken,’ * or ‘ I seize the foot,’ is very singular. Performed when people meet who have been apart for some time, it seems to combine an expression of fealty with that of courteous respect, and perhaps of affection. Suppose a case ; a group of men and women, conversing in their village, is surprised by an inroad of Toda visitors. The exclamation, ‘ Here is Beliani, Beliani’s wife, and her little- sister Penpuv ! ’ The cheerful smile lights up the assembly. Every operation is suspended. Every house discharges its occupants. All rise pleasantly, and with much gentle urbanity, to meet the new arrivals. What now ensues depends on certain points of etiquette ; matters of prudence, quite understood amongst them. In this early stage of society, the dues to sex and to age and relationship, are clearly defined. Early and constant practice has long made every woman acquainted with the position in which she stands with regard to her relatives, and to her husband’s parents, elder and younger brothers ; and there is little else to remember. Hence, amongst the two groups of both sexes which now meet, a glance of the eye suffices to enable each member to apprehend the position to be taken. A man never bows down before a woman ; not even a son before his mother. A man does not bow down before another man ; but women do so before women. ' Adabuddiken. Adi = foot, Pidi or Pattu = seise, take hold of. To seise the foot is a common Dravidian expression for homage, reverence. [Pope.] N? 8 AUTOTYPE. LONDON- A G REETI N G -ADA BUDDIKEN. CHARACTERISTICS. 43 A wife never bows down before her husband ; though she performs the Adabuddiken before her father-in-law, mother- in-law, her husband’s elder brother. Now each one of the juniors or inferiors — being a female — approaching each of the seniors or superiors — both men and women — in succession, ‘ falls at his feet ; ’ crouches on the ground before him, or her. On which he, or she, places first the right, then the left foot on her head. Such is the act styled Adabuddiken. As every man of the two parties has to perform this ceremony to every female, and each woman to each younger woman, and the men to salute one another and say ‘Tcha ! ’ the greeting of parted friends — which has to be carefully gone through, and which no sense of impatience or untimely levity ever occurs to abbreviate — is one that takes time. But the Toda has no wit, and plenty of time to spare and to wa.ste. Mr. Metz tells me he has seen a son fall at his mother’s feet. But the act (a very exceptional one) was committed on the occasion of a funeral, when the family appeared over- whelmed with grief ; and the man, actuated by his feelings, performed this token of respect and love. Nothing but the natural good manners of the people hinders the ceremony of Adabuddiken from becoming un- seemingly slavish. But the cheerfulness of the women, and the men’s grave politeness, admits of its being performed with entire good taste. Toda women indeed, hold a position in the family quite unlike what is ordinarily witnessed amongst Oriental nations. They are treated with respect, and are permitted a remarkable amount of freedom. They perform the legitimate offices of women in Europe ; tending children, cooking the family meals, bringing water from the spring, and cleaning the house and premises. Wearing mantles or togas — Putkuli — there is very little stitching to be performed ; but they embroider the edges of the mantles which some of the men wear, with CHAP. IV. 44 CHARACTERISTICS. CHAP. IV. blue cotton, in the fashion which some of the photographs in this book will show. The turbulent cattle are tended solely by men and boys. And the men manage out-door affairs generally. It is a quiet, undemonstrative, but intensely domestic people ; domestic in the wider sense of viewing the entire family, to the last cousin, much as one household, in which everyone is everywhere entirely at home ; each one assisting, with the steadiness of a caterpillar, in the easy, progressive task of emptying his neighbour’s larder : no one exerting him- self by one fraction to raise the family. The great feature in Toda organisation, is the all-absorbing power of his domestic attachments, which, like Pharaoh’s lean kine, swallow up all other qualities. If the Todas lose, in a material point of view, from deficient size in Acquisitiveness, and the propensities generally, yet they certainly are large gainers thereby in the quiet, even tenor of their domestic life, undisturbed by the wrongs of grasping, vindictive, overbearing natures. They no doubt have quarrels, in the course of which they — particularly the women — are known to use very high language indeed and ex- pressive gestures, but they are mere pebbles in a brook as compared with the rocks that break the flow of other waters. The men maintain their authority in the home circle ver>' sensibly, and without attempt at tyranny ; but I saw too a woman who, as was very evident, ruled her husband. She must have acquired this authority by means of some slight superiority in quality of brain, for she had no apparent van- tage over him. I was so much interested in this repetition, amongst an unambitious, retiring, and primitive people, of a well-known phase of married life in energetic folk nearer home, that I had hoped to induce the pair to present them- selves to be photographed ; and the temptation I offered would have succeeded but for their age, which made a long walk over the hills too great an effort. CHARACTERISTICS. 45 The general type of the Toda character is most unvarying ; singularly frank, affable, and self-possessed, cheerful yet staid : respectful, seemingly from a sense of conscious itiferiority rather than from an active principle ; fearless, from small cause for fear more than from the stimulus of a latent power of opposiveness : communicative, yet watchful and shy, as if their natures impelled them to divulge what their natures also prompted them to maintain quiet : willing to take money,* yet accepting what is proffered with callousness, allowing it to lie on the ground or their children to play with it. In villages without an article dc luxe beyond a few women’s ornaments, one may see naked children decorated liberally with small coin. The investment was no doubt safe round their necks and loins, but the very safety implies an absence of theft and violence, which is fully confirmed by the testimony of the law courts of the district. Their main crimes appear to consist in struggles to avoid payment of their debts for money borrowed on bonds from the Badagas. According to superior notions, they are not a moral race ; yet a knowledge of many little facts that could not well be recorded, leaves the impression on my mind that they have certain limits in decent custom (well understood by them, though rarely primitive to our civilised conceptions of what is respectable) which are probably not often transgressed. I could not hope, without a far greater knowledge of the people than could be obtained except by residing long amongst them, to give anything approaching a just definition of their private ways. I fancy, however, that they are less bounded by acknowledged rule than by the gentleness and simplicity, though rude nature, of their character. Though their intellect is of a very inferior order, and their force of character extremely small, and no great man of ^ The Todas living in proximity to the haunts of Englishmen, do not hesitate to importune for money with the greatest and most childlike per- sistency ; yet if unsuccessful are not a bit distressed. CHAP. IV. 46 CHARACTERISTICS. CHAP. IV. Toda blood may ever arise to influence the tribe, yet what they do know, they know well. They are intelligent within limits. Although they take contracted views of things, yet they work and act within the circumscribed limits of their mental vision with great steadiness, intelligence, and some sense. I am indebted to the quick-wittedness and patience of both men and women, for the accuracy and definition of the in- formation on the manners and customs of the tribe which I have been able to afford. I cannot present a stronger tribute to their frank and obliging communicativeness, than in stating that we made a habit of very close cross-questioning in tiny villages for three and four hours together. One woman well earned the title of Munshi, by telling us at a sitting the Toda words for the long list of relations given in Chapter VII. Notwithstanding the questions were often repeated, and many of them puzzling, she kept her head quite clear throughout, dexterously speaking w'ith slowness and marked intonation, showing pointedly with tongue and teeth, how the syllables of the difficult words should be pronounced. Though their brains became fatigued sooner than ours did, I doubt if they tired more quickly than would those of illi- terate peasants in other parts of the world. Travellers have affirmed that the Todas stain their skin by the use of a blue colour ; but I have ascertained, both by personal inspection and by direct enquir}^, that this statement is incorrect. Dark races are apt to have the skin in some portions of the body naturally of three or even four shades darker tint than in others, indeed often so strikingly dark as to give the impression that those parts had been stained. This peculiarity is nowhere more remarkable than in the nape of the neck. I have often observed it amongst the Sikhs, and it is quite apart from freckling or the effects of exposure. I noticed it so very much the case in one young woman, that I asked her if she had coloured it. The reply convinced me CHARACTERISTICS. 47 that the practice of staining the skin is quite unknown to them. They — the women — however, mark or tattoo portions of the body, terming it Gurtu. Dr. Shortt has recorded these marks so carefully, that I cannot do better than quote his own words : — ‘ The women,’ he writes, ‘ are tattooed about the arms, chest, and legs in the following manner : Three semi- circles of dots on the outer side of each arm, each semicircle containing nine points ; a double row of dots across the upper part of the chest, about an inch below the clavicle, each row consisting of thirty-six points, about the eighth of an inch apart, the rows themselves being one inch distant from each other. Those on the arms have an intervening space of two inches; two rows, containing eight or nine points each, on the shoulders, commencing in front where the lines on the chest terminate, and extending backwards to a point on a level with the superior semicircle on the arm ; a solitary dot in the centre of the chin ; two circular lines of dots on each leg, the upper circle containing twenty-five and the lower only twenty dots ; and a row across the dorsum of each foot, numbering from nine to eleven points. The terminal point of each row is marked by a ring, the interlinear points being simple dots, frequently taking the form of squares.’ ^ The most characteristic personal ornament amongst them, is that carried by women ; an extremely clumsy metal ring — Tulwaji — weighing sometimes as much as five pounds, which is carried on the upper part of the arm, and worn according to taste ; sometimes one ring on each arm, or sometimes a pair on one arm, kept apart— so that the skin may not be pinched between them — by means of a slip of padding. These rings are often built half of copper, half of brass, so that one day they may be worn presenting the one metal, and another day turned to show the other. In order that the arm may be introduced into this ponderous mass of brass, the ring is cut • ® Shortt, ‘Tribes on the Neilgherries.’ CHAP. IV. 48 CHARACTERISTICS. CHAP, through at one place in the circle, so that by introducing a — ■ lever into the crevice it may be opened a little.'* The device being so heavy and inartistic, and these rings known to be often ancient heirlooms, I do not doubt we have in this quasi ornament an armlet belonging to very primitive times ; one that certainly could not have undergone very great improvement since it was first adopted by the people. No. 9. Hence it may prove of some value as a means of tracing the Todas to the unknown race from which they sprang and separated. ■* Curiously enough, on return from the Nilagiris, a friend living at Kheri in Oudh, showed me an armlet which had just been cut out of the stomach of an alligator caught in the neighbourhood. Although the workmanship of this bracelet was far more artistic than that of the clumsy Toda ornament, yet the mode of opening and shutting it was identical, and the general design, suggestive. As it was not in wear amongst any of the civilised natives of the place, and there are knowm to be primitive tribes living in the neighbouring jungles, it is just possible there may be some real connection between the two armlets, though separated during 3,000 or 4,000 years. CHARACTERISTICS. 49 Perhaps the ornaments, likely to be equally primitive with these armlets, are the heavy bunches of coiled iron wire or of little bits of the same metal, worn like charms from both waist and elbow. Very tasteless and heavy. I do not see, in the form of their finger and ear rings, neck- laces and girdles, anything deserving of remark. They do not appear to me to be especially characteristic of the Todas, but rather, just what they can purchase from the tribes surrounding them. The photographs of women, show the nature of necklace worn as marriage tokens. The nose and lips are never perforated or ornamented ; nor are bangles for the ankles, or bells on the toes, worn. You may distinguish a boy from a girl by the mode in which the hair is cut. With the latter, the entire back-hair is kept short from infancy till the approach to marriageable age. The former have a band of hair cut short, or shaved, along the head, from the nape of the neck, over the poll to the top of the forehead, and a cross slip carried over the top of the head from ear to ear. The smallest male infants are often so distinguished. The wearing apparel of the sexes is identical. First comes the loin-cloth — Kuvn — corresponding to the Hindustani Lungoti, over which the toga — Putkuli — measuring about six feet long by four feet broad, made of coarse unbleached cotton, and worn double ; ornamented at the two ends with red and blue stripes, and sometimes with a little embroidery in blue cotton. This mantle is sufficiently large to envelope a woman most completely. A decent though cumbersome garment to wear, better suited for sitting and sleeping in than for any pur- poses of labour. Pockets are made in the corners of the mantle, by sewing the double cloth together at those places. This dress is more properly Dravidian than mere Toda, and is purchased in the bazaars. They are a dirty people ; yet very much of their dirt arises E CHAP. IV. 50 CHARACTERISTICS. CHAP. IV, from circumstances somewhat beyond their control ; such as crowded establishments and poverty. They bathe their bodies in the running brook, and even sometimes use hot -water for the same purpose. Yet I do not remember to have seen a Putkuli fresh from a wash. A pretty sight, that rewarded one of my expeditions, was a group of women and girls just returned from the stream, sitting, clean and bright, curling one another’s hair. The locks were separated neatly, and the partings made accurately with the finger-nail. Each lock having been dressed straight, either with the fingers or a forked stick, is twisted and twisted until, it has formed a tight coil, when the end is tucked in among the roots. The well developed female back-head looks remarkably pleasing under this treatment — unadorned, adorned the most. The curls are opened out in the morning. The eyebrows are sometimes touched up with a charred stick from the fire-place ; the fancy being to join them over the bridge of the nose. If they would only not grease the hair with butter, I could close this description of the toilette without unpleasant remi- niscences of some phrenologising experiences. The mouth and teeth are often kept in wonderful order up to a late age. But they take care of them ; using daily a little wood ash — not charcoal — and the forefinger, for dental purposes. I have seen people of all ages with teeth as bright, and mouths as fresh-looking as an infant’s — or a dog’s. I THE N I L A G I R I R LATEA U THE LAND HE LIVES JN. 51 CHAPTER V. THE LAND HE LIVES IN. The Todas a very ordinary people : the Interest they attract greatly due to Association — Habits and Manners free from Eccentricity — TheScoieiy of the Country : its Silence and Grace — A cool Morning grows to a Summer Day — Tasteless Toda. A MOST interesting people is this to contemplate. The well- marked Assyrian stamp of face, amidst more clumsy types, would, if for no other reason, make them attractive to us. But when one has actually witnessed and realised what I am about to describe ; the patriarchal mode of life in all its wonderful artlessness : the antique religious usages — effete, the forms remaining, their motives lost : the quiet deam-like lives ;• the even tenour of which reposes on custom, whose rare simplicity and immemorial practice indicates a strange proxi- mity to primeval man ; — then the interest in them redoubles, and one appreciates the fact, that he actually views a state of society more primitive than, though somewhat similar to that of our own Celtic ancestors, who tilled British soil. And the traces in his language, of what is cognate to the Celtic, increases the points of curious resemblance. But it must be acknowledged that the interest we take in the Todas, is chiefly due to these associations : for of them- selves, and apart from considerations connected with the evidences of the vast antiquity of their habits, or with their relationship to other races of which we may have especial knowledge, there can, I think, be no doubt they must be held a very ordinary people ; whose peculiarities result mainly CHAP. V. E 2 52 THE LAND HE LIVES IN. CHAP, from combinations of negative qualities, and the contrast they — . — present to all the activities we have been accustomed to. It is humanising, however, to recognise in them — ignorant, dirty, and unkempt — the likeness to ourselves, inheritors of many centuries of civilisation. Their children laugh and play as ours do. Their tricks are the tricks of our own boyhood. Their women display, with direct simplicity, many of the exact same characteristics of ours ; even the most refined, even the debased. And they are repositories of family lore — staunch conservatives. The men rule their households on principles of worldly policy as we do, and without any striking point of dissimilarity ; and, as I have already noted, are treated somewhat arbitrarily by their wives too, as we are apt to be also. Their natural language is precisely the same as ours ; not a sign, not a demonstration of the feelings, not a movement, but may be understood at a glance as well as if we had all been brought up from infancy together. The customs of the people strangely seem to suggest the germs of many that even now exist among us. Indeed, nothing in their ways surprised me more than to see them act so much as we do ; to an extent, even, that deprived them of much interest in my eyes. The country in which we find the Todas, though not by many moves perhaps the seat of his origin, is worthy of notice ; for thus we shall better realise how man lived in days when he had advanced scarce more than one step from the period of his rude simplicity ; in what style of place he ■ gradually acquired forms and social habits, that he never forsook entirely ; and how he multiplied unobserved, until his country could no longer contain his progeny — then migrated and founded nations. Picture an abrupt-edged table-land, on the apex of a soli- tary mountain — a very Laputa in its complete isolation of some 7,000 ft. in altitude — whose evergreen surface is one continued intermixture of rounded hills, with tracts of rolling THE LAND HE LIVES IN. 53 prairie. The hills as accessible as those of Malvern ; the prairie land as ceaseless, in its long undulations, as the billows of an ocean. Short coarse grass, clothes the whole, save where the deep forest holds possession of the damp secluded vallej's, or the cool little woods moss the banks of the prolonged gulleys, through which the trickling streams or dashing bourns course down the silent hill-sides : then collect, and, through succes- sive vigorous rapids and tumultuous cataracts — where from behind the clouds of spray and mist, noise roars its prolonged approval — precipitate themselves into the plains below. Wherever, in fact, rich soil and a perennial supply of moisture may be found, there are the ever silent woods ; for the periods of annual drought are long : the monsoon rain flows quickly off the hard surface of the exposed hills, and the scorched grass containing the young saplings is yearly fired. These woods and forests, and lovely glades, whose perfect quiet is broken only by the calls of wild animals and birds, or by the rustic sounds of Toda cattle — almost equally wild — herding in the open, form pre-eminently the characteristic features of the sceneiy^ ; adding emphasis to the singularly peaceful beauty of the view. The grass, in spots where the buffalo has not grazed it short, and where moisture favours growth, is crowded with wild flowers. Climbers, in great variety of grace and form, swing in festoons from the limbs of the gnarled old forest trees, bearded with hoary lichen, or ornamented with varie- ties of flowering orchids, which cling to the branches of the moss-covered timber. In the dank secluded shades a great variety of ferns ; from the tree-fern to those of the smallest size, grace the gloom ; — ‘ O, might I here In solitude live savage, in some glade Obscured, where highest woods, impenetrable To star or sunlight, spread their umbrage broad.’ CHAP. V. All round the circle of this high-perched green plateau, one 54 THE LAND HE LIVES IN. GHAP. V. unbroken sweep of low flat country, dotted with hills. Picture it an island in a tropical archipelago ; storm, cloud, and driving mist intervening between periods of brilliant sunshine. Try to realise the equatorial sun acting through this ever-changing sky and rarified atmosphere, both on the sweet inland pro- spect, and as you turn to take an eagle’s view outwards, over the grand panorama of the long horizon. Both are unique and lovely. There is one view, on the precipitous western ridge of the plateau, below Makurti Peak — ‘ The last hill that parleys with the setting sun,’ which seems to unite all the possible beauties of such a land. Such a mixture of the lovely properties which a landscape may derive from the presence of stupendous depths, bril- liantly transparent and buoyant atmosphere, delicate dis- tances, changing tints, and wonderful shadows, I have not seen combined, even in the Himalayas ; and, I believe, few spots in the world can exhibit.* Had the Toda made this spot the entrance to his heaven — Amnor (of which, more in its proper place), he would at one step have placed himself on a pinnacle of good taste, from which it would not have been easy to dislodge him. But to have omitted all notice of these extraordinary beauties, marks him as the tasteless man he is.^ Let me here describe an inland scene ; which, though casually witnessed by myself, must often be surveyed by the * The artist in search of a study of aerial effects, could nowhere find them so complete and satisfying as in this view. Owing to monsoon rains, clear days in which to watch it cannot often be got before the month of October. To be seen to perfection, both sunrise and sunset should be witnessed. * In Chapter I. I have quoted a Toda legend, that the souls of men and cattle leap from Makurti on their journey to Amnor; but in the expression of this belief there appears to be no appreciation of the beauty in the scene ; — merely that Makurti is the highest and westernmost hill, nearest the setting sun (See Chapter XII.), and therefore the most suitable locality for the purpose. THE LAND HE LIVES IN. 55 people living their lifetime in the midst of such sights. A brilliant and powerful sun is no such rare object to those who have dwelt in tropical climates, as, under ordinary cir- cumstances of heat and dazzle, to merit a description of its effects. They are but too well known by actual familiarity to many Englishmen. But few have experienced the pleasure of spending an hour or two under this equatorial sun, when it strikes through the attenuated atmosphere of high elevations, filtered by means of the deposit of moisture through frost, as realised in the cold season of this favoured land. And I can hope but approximately to depict the rare sight, which has made a lasting impression on my memory. After a perfectly still, clear, cold night, the dawn had broke on the green country, suffused -with moisture ; close hoar-frost in the damp valleys, dense dew on all the high lands — a frosted emerald. The slanting beams of the yellow rising sun, as they glance over the hills, illuminate with cold shades of prismatic colours all the drops of dew hanging in rich completeness suspended from the delicate seed-stalks of the summer grass with which the foreground is clothed. It is cold. The breeze that accompanies the dawn, waves the water-laden herbage, and in the pulsation of the full drops and the fresh sparkling of their lights, an interest is attracted. ’Tis the passage of Aurora t She sweeps lightly along over the drooping grass stalks, scat- tering their burdens as she goes ; reminding one of all that is fresh and cool — fountains, crystal, the happy tinkle of silver bells ! Soon we find that cheerful draught has awoke all living nature. The birds are shaking out their feathers, and calling from tree to tree. The Toda buffalo in his pen looks over the fence at his pastures, and moves towards the gate. His master opens the little door of his hut, and, putting his towzled head into the air, mutters ‘ Erigitashk ! ’ — dawn, rising time. All creation is alert ; the day has begun ! 56 THE LAND HE LIVES IN. CHAP. V. As the luminary continues to ascend, his rays, now grown brilliant, penetrate more and more the frosted valleys : and nature shows herself in a new phase. The little patches of water glare like daring mirrors ; the hoar frost melts at once, and its vapour ascends in volumes on every side, filling the atmosphere as it rises. The zealous sun now reigns supreme — its floods of light illuminate the steaming mass ; its dark beams, through which the view behind is seen, radiates from the skies into the bright mist carrying the elongated shadows of trees and hill-sides balanced and undefined upon it. The close cattle herd tracks the hill-sides through the dewy grass. A near view of the sedgy swamp below, presents at this time a rich picture of quiet nature in a dynamical fit. The dark mass of green reeds seems, though the only quiet thing, to be on the eve of movement ; its outlines all brilliant with the melted frost, and undefined through the sun’s halo : the shadows hazy and drowsy green. The while the glaring water is giving forth clouds of vapour. Insects and creatures, for- getful of their cold night, revel in the present heat, and animate the air with their busy progress. The water-rat, returning from a nocturnal excursion, pushing through the swamp with emergent speed, partakes of the glory of the water, his little body idealised as to appear a magnified spot in the sun. As the mist continues its rise and fills the air, that which in the early morn was cold and steel-coloured, then steam- ing and busy, now becomes quiet, genial and radiant up to the zenith. The trees on the distant hills stand out dis- tinctly, each in its dark blue patch of shadow. The cattle lie ruminating in the swamps. And all nature smiles. The clear morning sky is flecked with fleecy clouds, till the mid- day summer heat dispels the whole, and ‘ O’er heaven and earth, far as the ranging eye Can sweep, a dazzling deluge reigns.’ This wonderful country, ever beautiful and expressive, THE LAND HE LIVES IN. 57 silent yet speaking, quiet and secluded, forms the beau ideal of a breeding-place and nursery for infant races. The Toda buffalo has roamed over this land for centuries, and his master, calling his orders to the cattle he leisurely tends, has witnessed the many beauties of nature which I have merely suggested. But I do not find, by his language, religion, or tastes, that they have had any effect on him. He sees the grass. Ha ! He sees the dew. Ha ! He sees the forest. Ha ! But apparently it is only so much cattle’s food with water on it, and fuel in the distance. Ha ! The sun is shining on it, and the water will soon dry ; then the cattle will grow thirsty ! The prevalent idea is that primitive man, uneducated man, working man, is so engrossed in cares and in the occupation of providing himself with food, that he has no leisure for contemplating nature’s beauties. The phrenologist knows better ; and you, reader, will shortly agree that the Toda has unlimited leisure, as I now show that he has endless oppor- tunity of noting the beautiful. These hills are covered with good soil — indeed in the moist hollows it is pre-eminently rich and productive, and the land is very accessible to the plough. There is excellent clay for pottery. A laborious, acquisitive race, conserving the glorious water supply, would render this land a paradise. But the Toda scheme is simpler far. He has cattle who afford him all he wants ; why should he work } Why should he plough } And from the lazy man’s point of view, perhaps he is right. CHAP. V. 58 THE MAND. CHAP. VI. CHAPTER VI. THE MAND. Todas a pastoral Race — Definition of a Nomad — Todas migrate^ but are not notnadic — The Maud or Village — Construction of Houses — Interior Arra?tgcment of Houses — The surrounding Wall — The Cattle-pen — The Dairy or Pdlthchi — Typical Plan of a Mand — Selection of Village Sites — Names of Villages. The Todas are a purely pastoral race; occupying them- selves almost entirely in the bucolic pursuit of herding buf- falos, of which they are in possession of a very fine species. They keep no other description of animals, save cats — Kotti. As they do not attempt cultivation of the soil, they have rather hastily been styled nomads. Taking that term to imply a tribe which, withotit fixed place of residence, wanders in quest of food — whether that be game or pasture for its cattle — the word is a misnomer as applied to the Todas. Indeed, from the many primitive races found in various parts of the world, which with striking deficiency of develop- ment in the organs of Acquisitiveness, Constructiveness, Order, and Number, are also distinguished by the peculiarity, com- mon to them all, of not tilling the soil, we may select links of a complete gradation in idle mode of life; from the lowest, or ever-wandering predatory class which lives by begging and theft : through several varieties of the nomadic shepherd and hunter : up to the settled pastoral races, amongst which we class the Todas ; who, with a very strong bias in favour of a permanent home, yet migrate once a year, compelled THE MAND. 59 to do so, simply in order by change of pasture, to obtain a sufficiency of food for the cattle, on whose milk they almost entirely subsist. I make free to assert that no tribe of people, having the organ of Concentrativeness so largely and so uniformly de- veloped as it is with the Todas, will ever be found to be habitual wanderers. Whether it be, that in the early days of the human race, circumstances having forced a family of man to become nomadic, the form of its skull gradually changed in the course of many generations, so as to adapt the man’s disposition to his necessities ; or if, on the contrary, the wan- dering habit be largely the result of defective size of that faculty ; certain it is, that practice and corresponding cranial form are now in harmony, and that a small development of Concentrativeness will be found ever accompanied by a cen- trifugal tendency ; attachment to a settled home being strong in proportion to the organ’s volume, strong even to the extent of producing nostalgia when thwarted, if associated with remembrances of home and landscape. Toda families reside in permanent villages — Hand or Madd — having each a certain tract of grazing ground sur- rounding it. Each minor division of the family has a house — Arsh — in the Mand, and a share of the village land. Nearly every Mand, however, has its duplicate, sometimes its triplicate, to which the entire body of the inhabitants migrate at certain seasons of the year, both for the sake of fresh pasturage and with the view of escaping the inclemency of situations which become exposed to the west-monsoon rain and wind. These storms drive at times with such intense severity over the wilds, that although at the time, the actual thermal state may be far from low, yet the evaporation induced by the extreme violence of the rain is known to lower the tempera- ture of the body so as frequently to cause death to man and beast. Wild animals cower during these storms under CHAP. VI. 6o THE MAND. CHAP. VI. the protection of secluded woods, or migrate like the Todas for the period of the monsoon season. It is also a Toda custom to vacate a house, or even the entire village, for a certain limited period, if one of their number should have died, or sickness be rife amongst the community or attack their cattle. In these matters they follow the dictates of sorrow, of pru- dence, or of necessity, much as we do under very similar circumstances. We too, who can afford the luxury, have a town as well as a country house ; take trips to the sea-side, or at times vacate the tenement which some dear one has just left for ever. These people do no more. No Toda is so persistently migratory as thousands of our own country- men are. From what is here written it will be understood why the Nilagiris may have upwards of one hundred Hands on its surface, yet not more than forty of the number be actually occupied. I have ascertained, in the course of a careful census of eleven Toda Hands — the detailed results of which will be found tabulated in Chapter X. — that they contain from two to three dwelling-houses or huts, whose general appearance is depicted on the frontispiece. Host of these houses consist of only one room or cabin, but many are formed by the junc- ture of two, and sometimes even of three rooms in a line ; each with its own door leading direct into the external air and unconnected with one another. The Toda name for a room and for a house is the same. The rooms, though all of the exact same shape, vary some- what in size ; from five to six cubits square in area, and from five to six cubits high. Thus, a house of two rooms would be about 8 ft. by i6ft. ; and a house of three rooms would measure some 8 ft. by 24 ft. Each room holds one entire subdivision of a family. The roofs of all houses are thatched with grass and THE MAND. 6i bamboo, fastened with split rattan, and are either constructed in curved outline like the tilt of a waggon, or brought to an angle at the top, with a wooden ridge-pole, similar to the form of construction met with in more civilised life. The first method of roofing — which is peculiar, not being found amongst any of the surrounding tribes — is that universally employed amongst the well-to-do. The latter, which is probably cheaper, and certainly more simple to make, but endures less the violence of storms, is ordinarily adopted by poor people, and for houses of a temporary nature requiring to be erected in a hurry. The two end walls, which are invariably gabled, are made of very stout planking : and where the house consists of more than .one room, the partition wall is of the exact same construction as the outer walls. The side walls, in the tilt-' waggon houses, are formed by cariydng the roof down to the ground, in which the ends of the curved bamboo rafters are all imbedded. At the line of junction with the earth, flat stones are used in order to throw the water off from the domicile. All the interstices and holes in the planking are carefully filled in with clay, mixed with cow-dung. The doorway, presenting the appearance of a ship’s port- hole, and about two cubits high by one and a half cubits broad, is to be found in the middle of the gable wall, when there is only one room to the house : if there are two or three rooms, the second and third doors will be found in the sides, so arranged that all the doors may be to leeward ; usually the south or south-east. These doorways, which are closed at night with a flat stone or solid slab of wood, kept in place by a stick thrust vertically into the floor at either side of the opening, form the only passage for the household, and for light, smoke, and air. The roof projects two cubits beyond the gable walls ; thus forming a pleasant open verandah facing the morning sun, and sheltered from the wind. Here the primitive family sit. CHAP. VI. 62 THE MAND. CHAP, air themselves, and perform various offices of a domestic and VL — , social (entomological) nature. The people have been at much pains to exclude every particle of external air from their dwellings : and were it not for cracks, caused by the contraction of the material of which they are constructed, their rooms might have been rendered quite uninhabitable. As primitive folk, living in an elevated climate, have far more to fear from cold than from heat, these ‘ beehives ’ are, on the whole, well adapted for comfort and for the preservation of infant life. I think that when these houses were originally built, they were designed with one room only. I judge so, partly from the Toda name for a house and for a room being identical, and in part from the symmetrical arrangement of the door ’ and verandah ; also, from noticing that the second and third doors at the side, appear like an after-thought, out of keeping with the original design, and holding awkward positions in a house whose roof is continuous to the ground. I deduce from these appearances that their numbers have increased since they first established themselves where we now find them. It may be interesting to my readers to be able to form an idea of the mode in which the verj'^ small area of a savage’s house is utilised for cooking, eating, and sleeping purposes. Be it remembered that the room is 8 ft. long, 8 ft. broad, and 8 ft. high ; and that, as Chapter X. shows us, as many as eight people board and lodge in this diminutive space. The plan (No. ii) which, without any devdation, is that of every Toda dwelling, shows the mode in which room is economised. Against the walls, at a convenient height over both store and fire-place, slips of split cane are fastened vertically, so as to form slings ; into which firewood is neatly inserted, and in which it rapidly dries. The women are careful to keep a supply of diy' wood in this manner : hence they are able to cook without making much smoke, using as they do, with a skill that seems to be the common property of all the natives THE MAND. 63 of India, only one or two little sticks at a time. The correctness chap. VI of this observation is corroborated by the striking freedom of > — — adults and children from eye-complaints. A. The pestle and mortar — Kudi. B. The fire-place — Vorsh, or Vorshkall. C. The store or space, measuring 4^ ft. by 2| ft., in which brass cups and plates, bamboo milk-pails — Honnu — are placed. No. II. THREE TODA HOUSES. D. Raised bed of clay, measuring 8 ft. by ft., for the elders. E. Vacant space on the floor, 5 ft. by 3 ft., where the family eat§, and where the juniors sleep. F. The door. Nearly every Mand, and in some instances each house, is surrounded, at the distance of three or four paces, by a low enclosure wall — Tuar' — built neatly but without cement. This wall, which in all cases bears the appearance of age, is so low (about 3 ft. high) as to preclude the possibility of its having * Tuar, Tuel. Tamil, Suvar. In all the Dravidian dialects s and t are interchangeable. Thus Shri becomes Tiri. Ar and El are affixes which are used in the formation of nouns. [Pope.] 64 THE MAND. CHAP, originated in any defensive project, whether as protection » from the attacks of man or the inroads of wild animals. Taken with the extreme narrowness of the gap left in it for egress, there seems no doubt of its having been designed merely to keep the half-wild cattle off the premises, lest they should trample on .the children in their stampedes, or should rub their bodies against the low houses in their hours of ease. Neither the wall nor the enclosed area is in any degree sacred. In close proximity to the Mand will invariably be found the pound or pen — TueP — into which the buffalos® — Esm il r, Er a female — of the village are driven every evening on return from the grazing grounds. This pen, which varies in dimen- sions according to the wealth of the community in cattle, is fenced in strongly ; in some places by a wall from four to five feet in height : at others by a fence of stout branches — when it is termed Men Tuel — according as the site happens to be prolific in stone or timber. The herd of buffalos, being thoroughly competent to protect itself from wild beasts, is left in this pen without further pro- tection, and, indeed, without any shelter, though the calves — Koan a male, Karr a female — whilst quite young are shut up at night in little huts situate close and often contiguous to the people’s dwellings. Deserted cattle pens have at times been mistaken for Druidical circles. When the enclosure wall has been made of large blocks of stone, and where from paucity of material it had been constructed of double rows of stone filled in with soil, and the earth had in due course been washed away, then the stones left standing would remain in very religious form ; * Tuar, Tuel. Tamil, Suvar. In all the Dravidian dialects s and t are interchangeable. Thus Shri becomes Tiri. Ar and El are affixes which are used in the formation of nouns. [Pope.] ® When Todas talk of their cattle generally, the word Er is invariably used. THE MAND. 65 most attractive to the wandering archaeologist who did not know of the primitive habits of this pastoral race. In addition to the dwelling houses just described, every Hand, without exception, contains a house devoted solely to the purposes of a dairy — palthchi — consisting of two rooms ; No. 12. THE DAIRY — PALTHCHI. the outer — porram-al-g-arsh — for the residence of the dairyman — palkarpal'* — and the inner room — ulg-arsh — for the storage * Palkarpal. This is one of the most remarkable examples of the identity ofToda and Tamil. This is pal — karr — p — al ; where (i) is the Dravidian word for milk\ (i) (2) (3) (4) (2) is the root of the verb = io milk ; (3) is the suffix forming the verbal noun, milkmg ; (4) = person. [PoPE.] F CHAP. VI. 66 THE MAND. CHAP. VI. . of milk — pal — and for its conversion into clarified-butter.® This building varies in size according to that of the village herd ; from the dimensions of an ordinary house of two rooms, to one perhaps half as large again. It is situated somewhat apart from the Hand, and — presumably for the sake of coolness — is generally found on a site which has been partially dug out from the side of the hill, on the slope of which the Mand is situated. The dairy is always enclosed within its separate wall, which is built very close up to it, and the outside of the wall often earthed in. The outer door is much of the size of those in ordinary dwellings, but that in the partition wall, forming the only means of access to the dairy room within, is of minute dimensions ; probably one- cubit high and about half a cubit broad. The accompanying typical plan of a Mand will explain the description which has just been given. The village itself is invariably situated in the open, exposed to the sun almost from daybreak to sunset, but sheltered by the hill side from the full force of the wind. The Todas have been credited with some taste in the selec- tion of sites for Hands; owing to the beauty and often romantic nature of their situations ; invariably on some open grassy slope, where wood and spring or rivulet combine. But I more than doubt if any innate sense of the beautiful influences them in the choice ; for neither do their heads, nor do their other acts, give probability of the possession by them of any taste. I am disposed to attribute the success of these happy selections to the fact that, acting with a very strong practical sense of the advantage of localities, they have, whilst seeking shelter for themselves and cattle from the monsoon storms, with a dry bit of soil in proximity to water and fuel — the whole centrical with regard to pasture — ob- tained, by means of the natural advantages of a lovely land- ® Known in India as ghi; in Toda termed nei. N° 13 AUTOTYPE, LONDON- A TY PI CA L MAN D A= RESI DENCES. B = DAIRY. C=CATTLEPEN. THE MAND. 67 scape, an harmonious whole, very striking to visitors of cultivated tastes. A knowledge of Dravidian dialects would probably show the names of their villages, of which the following are a few samples, to be mainly descriptive of localities. Diljavenu. Kakhodi. Beresthro. Koana-koar.® Ebgodu. Melkarshk.'^ Bangadu.^ Karshk.® Menmadd.^ Keshkir.'® Kirzho. ® Koan = fnale calf-, karr - female calf ’ Ban=j/^. G3.du, or godu, or gudu, affixes to names of villages ; from kudu = come together-, the same as Mand, which is Tamil for collection. [Pope.] ® Karshk = j^«^. ® Men = wood, forest ; Madd = Mand. See above. Ir, or iri, or ari, affixes to names of villages ; from the Dravidian root, which is variously written ir, ur = ^^, exist. \Jr, a village in Tamil, is from the same root. [Pope.] ** M.q\ = upper -, karshk = CHAP. VI. F. 2 68 THE FAMILY. CHAPTER VII. THE FAMILY. Parturition — Midwives — Confinements — Infanticidal Mother take?i red- handed — Name this Child — Metis Names — Nicknames — Women's Names — How married people call to one another — List of Relation- ships. CHAV. VII. The act of bringing forth children seems very generally to be considered an easy one. In the course of my enquiries into the causes of death amongst adult women, I was told of two who had died in labour. If I were to judge solely by the opinions of the male sex, I should have no hesitation whatever in recording that the process of child-birth was a mere trifle : yet even after seeking more correct information from the women themselves, I could arrive at no other con- clusion than that parturition, though a delicate matter, was an act which almost invariably passed off without great diffi- culty. Men are never present during these family events, but apparently have to await the result outside. Three or four women — the house-full in fact — remain in attendance ; one of whom is said to sit behind the patient supporting her frame : the others performing various offices tending to alleviate pain, and for the reception of the infant. May not the ill-understood expression, ‘ She shall bear upon my knees,’ Gen. xxx. 3, have reference to the position in which we find the person, who with a knee on each side of the expectant mother, squats behind to support her body ? THE FAMILY. 69 ‘We call a midwife merely old woman — kelachi’* — said my informant — an elderly gentleman with a large family — ‘ why give a name for midwife when every woman can act ? ’ This, though from the male point of view, is nevertheless a statement whose truth is borne out by facts. ‘ The umbilical cord — pokku — is severed by laying it on a piece of wood, and cutting with a knife.’ ‘ What ! tie it with string first ! ’ raising his eyes roguishly to the roof, as if looking for a piece of string projecting from the thatch. ‘I have plenty of children, but have never heard of such a thing ! ha ! ha ! ha ! Tie it with string ! ha ! ha ! ha ! ’ Here the old man turned the laugh against us, protesting that such a thing was never done. Whether the cord is tied, but that he had for so many years remained in ignorance of the fact : or if it is really never bound, in savage life, I had no further opportunity of enquiring : but leave the narration as it was given to me by a great authority. On the morning after the child has been born, the mother is removed to a shed — purzarsh^ — which has been erected for her in some sequestered spot of the village wood, in antici- pation of the approaching event. There she remains till the next new moon — muttu^ — whether that phase occur in the course of 3 or of 30 days. These people cannot explain the reason for this removal : but possibly they may suppose the monthly aspect or reappearance of the moon to have some periodic effect on women. I did not succeed in eluci- * Kelachi = ; Y^€i^ = old man. Tamil: V\rra. = old. Kirra van = old man ; Kirra tti — old woman — tti pronounced chi — Al = man. Keladi, in ancient Kanarese = a female friend. [PoPE.] Purzarsh. In Tamil we have 'pv.rra. = ouler. Sansk. alayam = dwelling. Any termination may be converted in a Toda mouth to a guttural sound made up of 1, r, and sh. [POPE.] Mr. Metz is of opinion that purzh = ; and that purzarsh means a mud hut or temporary house. * Muttu, new moon= jewel, pearl, in Sansk. and Dravid. [Pope.] Tiggalu, full moon, the moon. Ti is a part of dina = z4y'. Glau=//zff moon, Sansk. In Tamil, tingal. [Pope.] CHAP. VII. THE FAMILY. 70 CHAP, dating any expression of such belief from them : but the — ' profound ignorance in which they are steeped is amply suffi- cient to account for all want of knowledge of reasons. The custom is probably an extremely ancient one. Some notion, of the nature I have described, may have founded the practice, though all trace of its origin or cause, may have been forgotten long ages ago. For a month after her return home, she appears to have the house to herself : her husband remaining indebted to friends for shelter meanwhile. I had the pleasure of being introduced to a woman just after her return from the purzarsh. In the course of my inquisi- torial visits, which will be more fully described in Chapter X., I had ascertained in a certain village, that there was a young female infant which had not been shown to me : and this might be an infanticide ! Almost hoping such might be the case, and that I had discovered a mother red-handed, I enquired after its health. ‘ Oh,’ said the women, airily, and with the true maternal interest in young babies, ‘ they are both in the house round the corner.’ Thither accordingly I went, and found the young mother awaiting a visit, hoping to receive for her small one — kin-minthki'' — one of the little silver-bits she heard were circulating so freely amongst the children of the Mand, from whose society she was still debarred. Studying the Frontispiece and the pictures of Toda women in this book, anyone of artistic taste can fancy the little picture ; which in its way was pretty and interesting. Scene ; an old-looking and water-stained log hut, belonging to a primaeval tribe of the glacial period : summer time : brilliant sun ; green herbage : forest background. The imagination is now sufficiently developed to appreciate the tableau ! A * K\n-mmi\\V\ = fe?nale infant. Kin = gin = ///// Father • . App'n, cyan, en, or enin. Mother . Aw. Wife . . Katvoti. Youth, bachelor . . Mokh varsh. Child — son . Kin mokh. Child — daughter . Tiij mokh.“ Infant — son . Popen.*^ Infant — daughter . Kin minthki.’^ Twins • , . Mor mokh. I'atherless ' Motherless . . Tobbari.'^ Orphan Widower . Baruda.'® Widow, barren woman . Mudegitti,'® barudi. Great-grandfather . Pevian. Great-grandmother . Peviaw. Grandfather . Piyan. Grandmother . Piaw. Brother — elder . . Ennon. Brother — younger . Ennorvet, enta. The etymology is doubtful. One is reminded of Greek, gunaik. In Tamil kokku = copulatio. [Pope.] Kuk = a receptacle, also pudendum muliebre. Tiij mokh. Here child. High Tamil, maga. Tiij is a difficulty. In Kanarese, tush = I imagine tliis is the idea. [Pope.] 13 13 -yjig derivations of these words have already been given in this Chapter. Tobbari. Tagappan = tam + appan = father, or simply father-, Tamil. This is pronounced commonly toppan. Ari = ‘ one deprived of I Dra vidian root aru. [POPE.] Baruda. \n (AAY..2cmx&'5,&,\>7i.xx\!i = decay, die, fail in stren<^th. In Tamil this root is varru. .Sansk. : \r\dda. = old. Tamil; xx\7d2.d\ — barren women. [Pope.] 1' Mudegitti, xaottd\ = baldness; xxmx\Aa\ = bald, a widow — whose head is shaved. [Pope.] CHAP. VII. THE FAMILY. CHAP. VII. Sister — elder . Enakkan. Sister — younger . . En norvet kukh, enta. Father’s brother — elder . Ennin perud. Father’s brother — younger . . Ennin kirud. Father’s sister — elder and younger Mami. Mother’s brother — elder and younger . Maman. Mother’s sister — elder . Perud avv. Mother’s sister — younger . Kirud avv. Son’s wife .... . Mortwirth. Daughter’s husband . Enman mokh. Husband’s mother ] Wife’s mother J . Mami. Husband’s father] Wife’s father J . Maman. • Husband’s brother — elder . . Yen al ennon. Husband’s brother — younger . Yen al norvet. . Yen katvoti akkan. . Yen katvoti non^et kukh. . Payal or Beial. . Yen mokh ver et mokh. • Yen mokh ver et kukh. . Kelal. . Kelachi. [ Anatama, paltial, payal, ( kutasaram.*® . Mupu, doddavan. . Koleh — in Badaga language. Wife’s sister — elder Wife’s sister — younger Wife’s brother Grandson — son’s son . Granddaughter — son’s daughter Old man Old woman Family, relation Ancestor Clan , . . . PMtiM, payal. In old high Tamil we have pattil A1 is the constant abbreviation for avargal = they. Thus the word pattial = those belonging to the house. The Sanskrit root pa = protect, cherish. The two words are probably different forms of the same. [Pope.] Kutasaram. Tamil, kuda = ; ga.\ecca= a going. In Sanskrit kutumba is family. [Pope,] THE FAMILY. 77 The word Anatama,*® which means elder and younger CHAP, brother, is the generic title given to all very near relations. Regarding the appellation for cousins, the people say they have no names for them — ‘The son of my little-father, ennin kirud, is the same as my brother.’ Yen peruden kiruden mokh yen anan taman ershchi. Anatama. In Kanarese, anna[tamm'andaru. elder younger they (who are) So in Telugu, annajdamu’lu. Here we ha^ soft n, d for t and plural- ising particle lu. In Tamil, = elder brother •, x.2Lwld\=younger brother. The Dravidian root 2o^a. = upper, and maybe compared with Greek avd. Taxn = onds own; so in terms of relationship = own, my, a familiar kindly expression. [Pope.] FOOD. 78 CHAPTER VIII. FOOD. Diet — Kiitu — Badaga and Kota Neighbours prey on the Todas — Todas give away valuable Property — Not flesh eaters — Ceremony of eating Buffalo flesh — Don't drink Spirits — Children's Food — Family Meals — Grace before Meat — No Weapons of the Chase — No variety of Live Stock. CHAP. The Todas have no sports or games, except the innocent tip- - — r— -- cat, corresponding in its play very much with our boys’ game of rounders. No violent exercise. No means of settling disputes by scientific personal conflict, as in wrestling, fencing, or boxing. Nothing in fact pointing to natural turbulence of character and surplus energy. They wear no weapons of offence or defence. They do not even hunt, either, for the sake of providing themselves with food, or for the pleasure of the chase. They do not attempt to till the ground. The products of the buffalo form the main staple of Toda diet. No doubt, at some time or another, they depended upon that animal more than they do now ; in a period when they • were isolated from contact with agricultural races. Now they are well supplied with the ordinary cereals of the country, as •rice, wheat, barley, varieties of the pea, millet and other small grain, also sugar, salt, and tobacco ; all of which items are, and for many generations have been, either purchased from the surrounding tribes by the barter or sale of their own surplus nei, or obtained by the levy from their neighbours. FOOD. 79 the Badaga' tribe, of kutu,'* or tribute due to them as lords CHAP. • . . . . . . . VIII of the soil. This kutu, which implies a permission to the Badagas to cultivate the land, is said^ to be a certain portion of the produce, varying from to and shows that the Todas are the earliest existing race occupying the plateau of , the Nilagiri Mountains. Each Toda Mand has a claim on certain Badaga villages for their kutu. Members of each family of the Mand go out in turn on a begging expedition to the village from which it is entitled to draw for support. And as no very accurate accounts are kept, either of the amount of kutu due in any individual year, or of the quantity of grain which has already been supplied, this foraging stands with the Toda in lieu of sport, in so far as the uncertainty of the results is concerned ; it being to the interest of the Badagas to postpone and shirk payment of grain as long as possible : whilst on the other hand, the state of the Toda stores, and his natural persistency combined, are urging him on to repeat the visits for the renewal of his granary. The result being that the Toda gets exactly as much grain as will just satisfy his actual necessities: the Badaga acquires land on cheap terms of rental. Thus we find that these people have, for several centuries, been in the enjoyment of a considerable variety of nourishing and digestible articles of diet : probably as much in quantity, and nearly as great in variety, as most other races have access to ; acquired too with the very smallest amount of personal labour ; the mere tending of cattle. From the fact of the strong similarity which is known to exist between the Toda and Kanarese dialects ; and of the Badagas having followed the Todas from the hot plains of * Badagas, a Kanarese people of the Hindu faith. * Kutu. See Chapter VI., note 7. ^ This statement was made in a Report, dated 1835, from Mr. J. Sullivan, collector of Koimbatore — in which district the Nilagiris lay— to the Govern- ment of Madras, in the Revenue department. 8o FOOD. t4ie low country, into a district so cold, wild, and inaccessible as this must, by contrast, have appeared to them, we have strong presumptive evidence of the two tribes having, previous to their migration, long lived side by side, mutually dependent one on the other ; the Todas, for the supply of grain they had not the energy to raise for themselves : the shrewd Badagas, for the nei which they obtained so easily from this ’ most unmercantile people. Similarly, another native tribe — the Kota— not so advanced as the Badaga, but more laborious, and thus skilled, than the Toda, followed the fortunes of this simple people on retire- ment to the Nilagiris ; possibly influenced, amongst other motives, by knowledge of the fact that the live male buffalos, the carcasses of the females, and the skins and horns of both, were to be had almost gratis, so long as they maintained adherence to their old friends. Thus we see — no matter how primitive the stage of society, how microscopic the tribe — the universal mundane process at work ; of the strong preying on the weak, and the clever on the stupid : races, like individuals, supporting themselves by utilising and depressing their simpler brethren. Big fleas have little fleas upon their backs to bite them ; Little fleas have lesser fleas ; and so on ad infinitum. To what other cause but grievous national improvidence can we attribute their having acquiesced in promptings to part with an amount of meat sustenance, that would, if utilised, nearly double their food supply } And to permit skins and horns of vast herds — whose sale would have brought a very welcome addition to their revenue — to be removed as return payment for a little trumpery Kota music, and primitive iron- mongery } What the buffalo is to the Toda, so is the Toda to these slightly superior tribes ; the milch-cow. There is good reason for believing the Todas’ assertion; FOOD. 8 1 that they have never at any time eaten the flesh of the fevmle buffalo ; for they set an immense value and importance on the milk-giver. And there are very strong grounds also for credit- ing their statement ; that they never made a practice of eating the males, even though they may have died from accidental causes. In fact they are not, and never were, flesh eaters. Not that they dislike the flavour of meat ; for a meal of venison is one of those events so rare and pleasurable as to form a datum in a man’s life from which to time all incidents. Yet there is a yearly exceptional occasion on which all the adult males in the village join in the ceremony of killing and eating a very young male calf — seemingly under a month old. They take the animal into the dark recesses of the village wood ; where the Vorshak kills it by blows of a club made of their holy tree,® reciting the ejaculatory prayer beginning danenma, which has been given in full length in the last chapter. Although fire may readily be procured from the Mand, a sacred fire is created by the rubbing of sticks : and the flesh, which is then roasted on the embers of certain trees, is eaten only by the men — the presence of women not being permitted. No information can be had as to the origin or object of this curious and apparently sacrificial ceremony. ‘ It seems,’ writes Mr. Ty lor, ‘scarcely too much to assert once for all, that meaningless customs must be survivals, that they had a practical or at least ceremonial intention when and where they first arose, but are now fallen into absurdity from having been carried on into a new state of society, where their original sense has been discarded.’ ® ^ Vorshal. This is a sacred character, of whom we shall read more in Chapter XVI 1 . Ve, ve, are Dravidian roots indicative of heat. Varhis is Sanskrit for sacrificial fire. Virragu is Tamil for firewood. Vrishmi is Sanskrit for Agni, god of fire. Vrishakapi is the same. [Pope.] ® For further information regarding the tude tree, see Chapter XIV. * Tylor, ‘ Primitive Culture,’ vol. i. p. 85. G CHAP. VIII. $2 ' food!' ciiAP. The Todas state it, as a matter of tradition amongst' theni, when they subsisted largely upon roots. They are even now partial, amongst others, Jto that which is known in India by the name of Salup Misri — orchis mascula — a terrestrial orchid which grows in great abundance bn these hills. The woods also abound in edible varieties of wild-fruit — pom — and herbs of sorts. Intoxicating liquor or drug had never been utilised by these people prior to the arrival of the English/ And tobacco is still a iux^ury.- Infants are nursed by their mothers, as a matter of general habit, for about three years : and it is not uncommon, for them to be still suckling when in the sixth year. Boiled mille' or rice v/armed in milk is a common article of diet for'younj children. ^ As a general rule, food is either eaten uncooked or boiled but is sometimes baked or parched. The Todas have no 'caste’ prejudices j those Aryan fear of contamination which haunt the population of the plains requiring that persons not of the precise same grade of life or family, should cook and eat apart : and which place obstacles to the intermarriage of those of different castes, as insuperabl< as if they were of foreign religions or nationalities. Their two meals — which the women almost invariably cool — are eaten between the hours of 9 and 10 in the rnorning and of 7 and 8 in the evening, in their little houses, but neve; in the dairy. Men and women do not eat together at home, but the adult males of the family dine first, then the females. This as a matter of etiquette ; which is not however so stringent as tc preclude the women from eating before the men if there should be just occasion for them to do so. Children of both sexes have' their meals either with the men or with th( women. When one comes to consider the smallness of thei houses and the primitive nature of their practices, one canno FOOD. 83 but see 'that both convenience and good habits have been consulted in following these rules." Before efting, each member of the family takes a little of the food in his fingers, and raising it to the forehead says Swami ! Swami then places it on the ground as a present to bhumi tai* or mother earth. After meals these offerings are swept out of doors. Before the Englishman came' to the Nilagiris, and colonised the Todas’ land, the country was full of game ; hares, pea- fowl, partridge, jungle fowl, and numerous small birds, filled the -secluded woods: deer of sorts, bison, and jungle-sheep roamed their open, pastures : the tiger and leopard were com- mon : and packs of the wild dog — chen nai® — running mute, hunted the largest deer with the unerring certainty of fate. The Toda buffalos, half-wild, had learnt to defend them- selves and their young by tactics, the offspring of their bravery and skill ; forming a rough triangular phalanx, with the courageous and'strong bulls at apex and flanks, and the females and young in the hollow of the base, they would face the common enemy, and charging him in a body, gore and trample him under foot. The Todas, confident in the prowess of these animals, leave them to be herded by mere ■ striplings armed with light wands ; knowing that the amimals,"' and the children under their protection, would be perfectly safe.^ Yet in the face of these attractions of sport : in the presence of considerable danger : and with the example of the brute creation before them, they have not adopted a weapon, even one so simple as a spear. They neither make nets, nor do they construct traps or pitfalls. They do not employ any of ’ Svf^xni = lord. ® Bhumi i3A = earth mother. It appears likely that both the words and the practice have been copied from the Badagas. * Ciie.Xi = red,neL\ = dog. May not the French chien be derived from*' chen = the red {one} ? CIIA. VI IT. G 3 84 FOOD. CHAP, the processes for driving game known throughout India. No - . idea of defence appears to have been entertained, or of obstruction, brighter than that of making the ^oors of their houses so small, that to enter them they must crouch, and crawl through the openings on all fours. No mode of catching game, more skilful than is implied in the beating the wild-dogs off the prey they 'have hunted down and are worrying, is known to them. Had the Todas felt any disposition to add to the varieties of their food, or to increase the amount of their animal stock, or to indulge in meat diet, the surrounding country at once afforded them precedents and examples of people who had domesticated cows, sheep, goats, pigs, and poultry. Some exception might have been taken by them to the introduction of cows and sheep on pasture land which the august buffalo alone, should be permitted to enjoy : yet, as they narrate, they have brought home young bison, hoping to tame them, though failing in their attempt to do so. But fowls, pigs, and goats would have kept entirely to the woods adjoining the villages. SAVAGE ANTITYPE. 85 CHAPTER IX. SAVAGE ANTITYPE. Cause of idleness of primitive Races — Their attributes — Toda qualities, and form of Cranimn — The most primitive form of Skull — How to jjidge of Cannibal heads — Tylor, o?i the Development of the Human Race — Dolichocephali the 7iatural Dihabitants of warm Zones : Brachio- ccphali the result of harsher circtemstatices — Endogamy atid Doli- chocephaly — Why ptire Brachiocephali are not met with — Caste inunical to advance — Brachiocephaly the counterpoise to Dolichocephaly — Corre- lation between Brachiocephaly and Broad Shoulders. It will no doubt appear phenomenal to many of my readers, much in the same way as surprise has been excited in myself ; that notwithstanding the example of certain tribes living contiguous to the Todas, and cognate to them in blood as in the stage of their barbarism, who earn a living by various modes of occupation, pursuit, and industry, the Toda should persist in maintaining an isolation of idleness so complete, that not one of the many means which these other tribes have adopted for improving their circumstances, and none of the impulses to action by which they have been moved, should in the least have commended themselves to this remarkable people living in their very midst. The North- American Indian is well known to be receding before the’ advance of the white-man ; from an inability to adapt his wild habits to the too-rapidly changing times, so absolute as to give the appearance of his having deliberately and proudly elected to accept extinction, rather than com- promise with civilisation by altering the pristine customs of his race. And we greatly — and with much apparent justice — CHAP. IX. 86 SAVAGE ANTITYPE. IT.AP. L\. attribute this failure in self-adaptation, In general terms, to the Immensity and abrupt nature of the change he Is called on to make. If he would pass from his free and thriftless hunting and warring life, to the quiet of a frugal cultivator of the soil or trader. But this aversion to all forms of profitable labour, and Inca- pacity for commercial pursuit, is not more conspicuous in the untamed Red-Indian than in the self-restrained domestic Toda, surrounded as he is by industrious tribes not far elevated from, his own prim.itive status ; from whom — had he felt desire to change — he could at once have adopted simple expedients, as sufficient for his own purpose as they have been for theirs. I will endeavour to account for this per- sistency in idleness, of primitive and unprogressive races. In the first place, and as regards the Todas, I assume as if a fact established, what indeed has ever)^ appearance of truth; that their present mode, of life precisely suits the constitution of their minds— any important change appearing to them to be for the worse — that however much they must certainly, at some early periods of their career., have suffered from the failure of supplies, owing to the increase of their own numbers, and to their having depended on one source of food — which must have failed — yet as we find them., their natures and surrounding circumstances are •< practically in a condition of equilibrium. That is to say, they have perfected a dair)^ .system enabling them to liv^e entirely at ease and without labour ■ and which, owing to there being a ready market for surplus- produce, now places them in a con- siderable degree of homely comfort — a happy state, which is likely to last so long as the land affords room for the people to expand. yVlthough in the estimation of many, this perfect content- ment with a ver}" little may be considered a proof of good sense, and be held a great virtue, yet it must be acknowledged hat the phase is not one the best races of the world would SAVAGE ANTITYPE, acqialesce in. "If they will not trade, and to work are ashamed, yet why none of the ordinary short cuts to wealth and honojiu", by means well knovm in all ages, and to most na- tions ? No exciting and glorious war, with plunder ! the feathers of the chief, the titles of the hero ! No women to be attached, or prisoners to be enslaved or tortured ! No food but a milk diet and grain, whilst the woods are full of game, and flocks and herds to be had for the taking ! What is the meaning of all this .Have we come on the tracks of an aboriginal reign of conscience ? And was m.an originally created vir- tuous as well as very simple i* It appears to my mind, that in this absence of vigorous qualities : in the disrega.rd of gain and of thrift : ' as well as in their ultra domesticity, we have the attributes of a prhne- val race., which at an era, when other families of man were undergoing the vivifying effects of such processes of natural selection as tend to eliminate the weak-minded and the vveakl3', and produce brachycephalic-headed and broad- shouldered men, had remained almost unchanged, through avoiding conflict with nature and man, in the seclusion of che sequestered jungles of warm climates ; migrating — where t had to emigrate from its cradle land — either in vast num- jers, for mutual protection, or in company with and patronised )y more adv.anced and warlike tribes, glad perhaps to utilise ts herds of cattle as their commissariat. CHAP. IX. People of such torpid and inefficient natures would main- ain — as the Todas have done till lately — the aboriginal iabit of man ; in living on wild fruit and roots, and the milk )f cattle it had tamed : whilst other races, made more spirited, ‘ The causal organs excepted, no faculties are more uniformly defective .1 primitive races than Acquisitiveness, Gonstructiveness, Number and )rder. When collectively small, they form the invariable sign of a recent primitive’ origin; implying, the unthriftincss, innocence, of the. value of iropcriy, conieatcducbs uith the simpljst duellings, and dislike lo ordeiiy ale. uhicli are also the c.noe of dieir backward state. Tune is equti)l\ mail ; and such people Jiave but Jitile sense of music. ' ' 88 SAVAGE ANTITYPE. CHAP. IX. clever, and persevering through ages of strife with fellow-man, and conflict with difficulties presented by nature, had either risen in civilisation by means of a preliminary course of cultivation of the soil, and become great nations, or, on the contrary, had — like the North- American Indians under other and less favourable circumstances — developed qualities which, whilst retaining the primitive dislike to profitable labour, and the innocence of commercial skill displayed by the Todas, superadded other traits so ferocious as to render their im- mediate civilisation almost as hopeless as the taming of wild animals. The Toda is merely a simple, thriftless, and idle man, who will never, so long as his blood remains unmixed with that of superior tribes, or, by selection, is improved almost beyond recognition, work one iota more than circumstances compel him to do : but without taint of the ferocity of savagery. I proceed now to compare the known qualities of the Toda with the form of his cranium : for if my supposition be correct ; that in his gerreral inefficiency, and callousness to wealth, combined with intense gregariousness and domes- ticity of character, we have prominent physiologic evidence of extreme primitiveness in condition of race, then it will prove most interesting and valuable, if, in addition to the objects of our immediate study, I may be successful in demonstrating even one practical means, by which, in judging of ancient skulls, we may be competent to decide between two chief candidates ; of late years styled the brachycephalic and dolichocephalic — terms which, owing to want of defini- tion, are unsatisfactory to the phrenologist, but which I use as being well understood by ethnologists — which is the oldest, most primitive form. I feel the conviction that aboriginal man must, like the Todas, have been eminently gregarious, fond of children, and practical ; for the simple reason, that without such com- bination of valuable qualities, he must, in the days of his ignorance and inexperience, have been killed off in detail. SAVAGE ANTITYPE. 89 and his infant progeny have perished by neglect. That the CHAP. Toda skull is remarkably well developed in all the domestic — organs, and in the necessary perceptive — practical — faculties, a glance at the photographs in this book will show to everyone. Next. In the dark prehistoric age, whose duration appears unlimited, but through which all families of man have passed, that race which possessed the greatest capacity for overcoming obstacles — taken in the very widest sense — must, cceteris paribus, inevitably have remained the survivor in struggles with the weaker, and therefore, by laws of progres- sion, more primitive race. Now these aetive qualities are invariably aceompanied by large size m the groups of orgajis, which, situated at the sides of the cranium, form, when well developed, the br achy cephalic head. The Toda tribe is entirely, and without individual excep- tion, narrow-long-headed — dolichocephalic — every person in it, of both sexes, being deficient in every organ at the sides of the skull ; and, as I have before stated, having the perceptive organs over the eyebrow (group P), and the Domestic group at the back of the head, large. If we add to these indications, the deficiency in moral and in superior mental organisation which appears to be an universal attribute of almost entirely undeveloped peoples, we can, I think, make up our minds without hesitation, as to what form of skull is the most primi- tive of those of which we have yet discovered remains. In races which, though still dolichocephalic, are seemingly growing — advancing towards brachycephaly — we find the sides of the skidl in stages of development, varying in directions and degrees of growth, with each different race. This phenomenon is capable of explanation ; — We might anticipate that so long as the marriage practice of a tribe is what Mr. M'Lennan has termed endogamous, the form in skull of that tribe — as the Todas — from every individual being affected by * M'Lennan, ‘ Primitive Marriage.’ '90 •SAVAGE ANTITYPE. CHAP, the self-same causes, would .be ^ identical, or nearly so. It IX ^ would either grow^ with considerable uniformity, , or remain unaltered throughout the tribe. But 'W'hen marriage custom ;hanged .to exogam.y, in alliances with neighbouring races, or ;hrough the capture of female prisoners in war, then we might expect to. see the tribal skull exhibiting great variety in shape. We find the dolichocephalic Toda, careless of a meat diet, and ..without an irttoxicating beverage. Setting moral considerations apart — ^and savages are not much troubled vith mcrals — the practical necessity icr flesh and stimulants '.rises from the craving of the organs of destructiveness and limentativpness ; properties of the bracbycephalic head, he same organs acting under deep emotions, and perhaps ader exceptional geographical restrictions, would produce annibaiism. From what has just been written, it may be gathered that from the shape of a skull we may judge of the possibility of the race to which it belongs, having been cannibals. We shall see, in the course of future chapters, that we may also esti- mate, by the same process, the probabilities of its having been infantici.dal, polyandrous, or. much imbued with polygamy. Mr. Tyler,, in -sustaining the thesis of the prpgression of civi- lisation, as contrasted with its rival, the degeneration theory, expresses his views in words which give great support to the ideas I have ventured to advance, on the improvement in form of the human skull : ' The savage state,’ he writes, ‘in some measure represents ar^ early condition of mankind, out of which the higher culture has grad'ually. been developed or evolved by processes still ’ in regular operation as of old, 'the result showing that, .on the whole, progress has far prevailed over relapse. On *:his proposition, the main tendency of human society during Its long 4;erm jof. existence has .been to pass from a savage to a civilised -state. Now all must admit a gr^t part of ^this assertion to be not only truth, .but trui.'^ni. ^ ld.^ferrcd to .di'Vd‘'t iiistory, a great section of it pro\:cs^ lO;. tuiong, no} dOibbe .'SAVAGE ANH;ITYPE. lomain of speculation, but itq thet .-of positive kno'vvle4ge. (CHAP, t is mere matter of drrpnlcle that modern civilisatipn is a ^ „ . levelopment of mediaeval civilisation,, which again is a de- elopment from civilisation of the .order ^^repre^nted jirs ireece, Assyria, or .Egypt. , Thus the higher, culture being learly traced back to what rnay be called the middle culture, he question v’hich pemains is, whether this naiddle culture lay be traced back to the lower culture ; that is, to savagery .** 0 affirm this is merely to assert that the same kind of de- elopment in culture which has gone on inside, our range/of nowledge, has also gone outside it, its course of proceeding eing unaffected by o.ur having, or not having, reporters presesit, f anyone holds that human thought and action were worked at in primaeval. times according to laws .essentially other than lose of the modern world, it is for him to prove, by valid evi- ^nce, this anomalous state of things, otherwise the doctrine f permanent principle will bold good, as in .astronomy or lology.’^ If the arguments wbich I bavp adduced . in, these 'last w pages, be reasonable, pr,ob ability has been shown that the .rliest races of man — of whom, it is believed the ^TodasTornn somewhat advanced sample— were the mild -dolicbooepha3.ic .tives of a terrestrial zone where nature is most gentle and /ourable to human growth. We may suppose .that in the ■ urse of ages, population increased, until haying occupied afl gions where man could live without the exercise of much " hour or skill, it then began to encounter the difficulties des- led ultimately to form its character ; of which the, chief would experienced by those .branches of the human family which 1 read into the most severe and inhospitable tracts. These I inderers would grow, by means of the process, of .natural ection, and in the coyr.se of long ages, brachycephaliC; : rage, and strong-bodied Rather than continue their national growth 'in intractable ’ Tylor, ‘ Primitive Culture,’ vqI. i. p. 28 92 SAVAGE ANTITYPE. CHAP. IX. climes, these races, now hardy and warlike, would turn back their hordes in anticipation of the easy conquest of the rich lands occupied by the more effeminate and now wealthy populations from which they had originally sprung. All eventful history of which we have written record, teems with experiences of the oft-repeated inroads of northern bar- barians on their luxurious or weak southern neighbours. I have, therefore, substantial grounds for entertaining the convic- tion that conquests of the more mild, dolichocephalic races, by the brachycephali, must have been in constant operation, in greater or less scale, and in varying quarters and directions of the globe, from the earliest point of prehistoric age at which population began to crowd, and races to find a difficulty in providing food for the ever-increasing number of mouths. It is suggested that thus we may, amongst other causes, account for the fragmentary remains of some races, and the living existence of others, which advance of anthi'opological discovery proves to have been, at one time, near neighbours, and possibly of the same stock, though now dispersed and separated at the extreme limits of the inhabitable world. In those instances where these scattered races had inter- married amongst themselves alone — practising endogamy in social alliance — and where the progress of their passage, migration, or flight from the tropics had been so rapid and free from conflict, that natural selection had not had time or opportunity to make modifications, ere the tribes died out in the country of their refuge ; there we should expect their exhumed skulls would show them to have been entirely dolichocephalic. But where the tribes had, in the observance of exogamy — whether resulting from choice or through incorporation with their conquerors — intermixed with brachycephalic peoples : or if they had, in their turn also, been long exposed to the action of natural selection ; there we should meet either modified-dolichoecphalic ei-ania, or find the narrow and the broad skulls in termingled. SAVAGE ANTITYPE. 93 It is a matter of actual experience, that endogamous and exogamous tribes may coexist as neighbours in the same limited territory. Although dolichocephalic races are not uncommon : if we do not fi?id a purely brachycephalic tribe — one in which every individual member is broad-headed — we may remember, primarily ; that this form of skull — according to this theory — was in the first instance shaped by natural selection ; in which action every person would not be equally affected, nor both sexes exposed to all the same influences. Se- condly ; such a race being by its nature warlike, and strong in its animal propensities, would be little disposed to accede to restrictions limiting its members to marriage within their own tribe ; hence, in their domestic alliances with people of other families of man, the probability of connec- tionships being formed with dolichocephali, and the conse- quent introduction of narrow-headed individuals into their midst, would be increased. Thirdly ; there would appear to run throughout composite nature, animate and inanimate, a tendency to deterioration ; to be resolved into original simple elements ; for instance, of the most enduring metals to corro- sion, and the hardest granite to disintegration. Similarly a process is at work ; term it atavism, degeneration, or what you will, by force of which man — amongst other animals — tends to lapse, or revert to a more dolichocephalic strain. Though nature provides antidotes to this process, in different forms of selection, instances of degenerate form must always exist. This deteriorating action is particularly observable in the breeding of domestic amimals. The difficulty in maintaining breadth in dogs’ heads is well known. And the very same tendency may readily be observed in the human family. Doubtless there must be some limit to which the healthy sub- ject can thus degenerate. And probably we shall not be very far in the wrong if we consider the Toda cranium to afford us a sample of what man — as a race — uninfluenced by selection. CHAP. IX. 94 '' SAVAGE- ANtiTYPEJ and livih'g^ an open-aiTr’ lifc, tends to revert to: I have seen many individuals of the Aryah family far more dolichocephalic th'arc any Toda : bat hever an'entire race or tribe. The caste system of India ; which I believe to be merely the religious- bias, -or impulse, which a designing priesthood gave to a dolichocephalic and naturally endogamous- people is eminently opposed to brnchycephalic improvehieht) througl interfering with natural selection. Eveh in peaceful pursuits ; a. in war, and contentions with climate, we are always striiggl in; against the difficulties presented by competition over whicl the most energetic — the brachy cephalic — has most' chance c success ; of outliving the other. Brachycephaly 'produced by selection] forms the'ndturdreounter poise to dolichocephaly obtained through degeneration or'inherite from prirniiive ancestors. In the assertion of the belief I expressed ; in tKV correh tibn existing between brachycephaly, and broad shoulders ; it not wished to imply, in the face of- ample and frequent ev denc'e to the contrary, that the rule has not many exception i Indeed narrow-headed men ’have often strong- frarnfes. Bi dolichocephalic races may well be noted as having ligl figures compared with their 'converse. I incline, however, r the result of my personal experience, to attribute variatio; from the principle I have laid down ; to the marriage among; eXogamous races, of the two different descriptions' of head f two different styles of body ^ by which the individual offsprir we may notice as a departure from the rule, probably derive his cranium from one parent and his bodily, frame from tl other. ' CENSUS. - 95 Ctf AFTER CENSUS. MiTde of taking Census— Census Table — Todsis hide nothing but 'Number' of Cattle — Review of the Table — Crowding — Number ' of- Todas — Vital Statistics — Does the Tribe increase, or is it dying out? ■ 'Among the various objects- of PoHticar Economy, one of 'the'- most important arid interesting,’ wrote Dugald Stewart, ‘ has been always understood to be the augmentation of the num-' bers of the people.’’ I am about to lay before my readers the bond fide of' a detailed censusfTable'No. 3), taken by mein the year 1870, of a considerable portibh of the Toda tribe. It will be found to well repay. close scrutiny;, for morfe precise inforthatiorr as regards actual domestic custom 'and the social condition of- veiy' primitive races can be deduced from what aU first’ sight ' will' appear to bed mere -collection of dry facts and figures,- than from a far larger amount of ■ v/ritten'' description of events. A second sheet, termed ‘ Statistics- of Toda Families,’ recorded at the time of taking the census, will be found in * Table No. 4. Both of these tables -Were compiled with as much scrupulous ■ care and accuracy as could probably have well been bestowed on them; The process of collecting information was as- follows Arriving at each village, every soul, male and’ female, old and young, would be summoned before us. The- CHAP. X. I Dugald Ste^^’art, ‘ Lectures on Political Economy,’ Table No. III. Census. 96 CENSUS. (A .5 S.S II II g- < 2 Cd Z K < ta a < < J X D 2 U M 0X3 3 O V ^ Cl- U r o O SP if2*> 'V In u = = ii rt « C> ° ? a: A^j= _ V >,2 i, 1/^ — ■Ss§3; TS c» ■S g a •S 2 " 5 X — j= ? o -fo- .h a rt'C >11 « ® C 3 a< 2< o y rt.5 o 2 xQ W - ,.-5_ :-o S'? §■” n ® u C s " g - j:? « flj ^ rt £ "O >3 4^ OJ <4 u, tx £ o ca . i« c 'W - b 3 -S s ■S o ^ o C ^‘rt v's u'3 CX3 S.g^°o« rt — sg r o ^ x3 «« c - s g = 9.^'^ r. 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O T3 « P 4> *> E.'- o'-i ^ fi «‘- i rt '*5 E *5" o § Jj o . oO 3 ^ g* .-^ O Ct3 T3 ■» 4> U t" O o o Q '5-0 ■al « 2 •SIS'^S S^?Ie -r, -£ o ^•0 3 wO Is •sa -c . <3 'O rt o rt _ o •c-E-5 d >'.£ C «-C -b c •fi >' 's< 3 S «> eas Heal ous Well dra and Heal ous .-Jrt rt i- east Heal ous A S -■ s <2 ■O U. 2 ' =J= ^ si - S-?ii 3 H 5 5 =e . *J rt 4> 5 3 « >>o "g »> >-.0 !■§ « g-:5 g-|-l 5 « S “ O.C E u *o o n .2 ' V o °'u I. Use ^03 rt •s ,i_ £■■£ - •y, • t^'cj'r:;. ■= i E a« s ° « al 5'2>S-£ .r E “ - " o O 'SBS-S“-5S O bO t> 20 2 n- "a S •a « ° c UKl-l ^£2 S 1 .5-=-= d E d'S 4 , X •£ « 4 , rt rt 'u‘, S S a Ji V e a •tO u'liu i E i-s a02^:i-^ss ; a- § Ei-a E.g g i°E'^o"-2ii ■. •rt Ui . Ifc -s. " rt « ^ rt • s rt ^*5 O g fc « p - 5 X Si 2 o i3 2 o^c ^ - ^*5 o Sf o 5 v2 c“ « u o-«£ " g §2 ,Ej= ” - o I fc . - T 5 3 ■S:Sg| 4>.*H K bJD piTJ-O S c p'fc O rt ^ * S E.S •Ss& rt o ^ - e’® > E P 5 rt o ; rt ' 4> 4) ;“ . c*> o <'> ; g p o ^ c 2 e Si*^ « O^ S t a gifi § s = " ■ S^gl t/3 fn p (— o .oo^- ^ 4 J 4 ) v„ ^ rt , o^-C 2 I rH o ^ o rt ^ ^ 2 ? «-i£ 5 ® o2 ^ 4» S 5. *p o = o ds o-g so s H “3 S w o w S . u o 3 c rt u- « rt « 0-0 £ « i N O W ^ «'“g’S Oo| ^•OT) « c u OS bo o P W| rt 4 ) C , oO .g 2 i E-C a M £ i; < o o J; « i ® £ « s|s„! 3 2||g^ o ^ o 2 < ^ w s Px o • o ^ " E ■^-‘t s ’““«>> °oE ? .'d mS.i' M .a ^ ■£ uiu-jf a a o<: (i. CHAP. X. H CHAP. X. 98 CENSUS. women would invariably be placed in front ; as it would be from them we should obtain information of the nature we required for census purposes ; experience telling us that on points of mere family lore, they, without fail, are more reliable and intelligent than the men. It is they especially who know of the births, deaths, and marriages, and who can com- pare the dates of those interesting family events, by the heights, or comparative ages of individuals in the group standing before them. At first we found the people in front of us, an ap- prehensive little assembly. The women, squatting on the ground, would close up together, looking shyly at us from the corners of the eye. The men, seated about on the surround- ing-wall, were surly and suspicious. Breathless boys, who, hearing of the gentlemen’s arrival at their Mand, had run in from buffalo-tending, stood open-mouthed, leaning on their sticks. The girls would stroll about, nursing the babies, now and then crouching in to the houses, to look after the fire which their mothers had been invited to leave. After a general explanation of our object in paying their retired home this verj' unexpected visit — most carefully avoiding all allusion to the subject of infanticide — and following on a judicious distribution of small coin, made amongst the infants, in order to open the mothers’ hearts, we would com- mence our examination. One woman at a time. She points out her husbands, her boys, her girls : accounts for the absent ; one tending cattle, one the dair}'man, two gone to collect kutu : and describes her relationship to the other males and females in the Mand. What chance had such a simple people of eluding us, when enquiry took the form of a series of most unimportant questions ? Not the most suspicious would object to tell if their parents were alive or dead : and what relation the members of the group were to one another. When was your daughter married, my good woman, and how many CENSUS. 99 boys and how many girls have you ? So sorry to hear you lost two daughters and a son. How old were they ? And so on, and so on we went, examining one woman after another, and village after village. Had they shown, at any time, a desire to deceive — which, as regards human popula- tion, they never did — we could have readily detected the at- tempt, and outwitted them. A striking characteristic of the Todas is their inability to avoid giving an answer ; but as the reply will, however, not always be true, leading questions should be avoided as much as possible. If you wish to ascertain a fact ; undermine it, stalk it down, follow up enquiries with others that test it. Their only recipe to avoid answering a disagreeable query, is to tell a lie ; a lie as palpable as that of a child. My belief is, that, with the exception of the number of their cattle, they have nothing to hide. Now as there is no way of stalking down such a subject, and they will not, or cannot, tell you truly how many head there are in the village herd : and the Mands are situated wide apart pver the hills : and the cattle are not driven home till evening ; I was unable to count the buffalos myself, or to form any test of the numbers which they told me. I have therefore left that sub- ject an open question. The food supply is one that I have not been able to determine, even approximately. To some minds this may appear to be an imperfect census ; both because the inhabitants of all villages were not taken on the same day, and because every soul was not actually present. Practically speaking, it is as accurate as could be obtained, and nearly as perfect as could be desired ; for the people are very primitive and the Mands are very small— containing from two to five houses or rooms — the inhabitants have few pursuits to lead them away from home, and on cloudy cold days they rarely go abroad. Above all, ignorance of the fact that they were being numbered, robbed them of object in deceit. CHAP. X. H 2 100 CENSUS. CHAP. X. Before proceeding further, I will review this Census Table, especially selecting those facts which may be useful to us hereafter. a. We find that Toda males of all ages, bear the propor- tion to females of all ages, of 112 : 84, or of 100: 75. In a census of the North-west Provinces of India, taken during the year 1866, the proportions between the sexes were found to be as too : 86’6. And in the Punjab as ioo:8i‘8.’^ In Oudh, the census of 1868-69 taken in ten districts suspected of infanticide, gave 100 : 75 ’6 of all ages.^ / 3 . The male adults are to the female adults, as 76 : 55, or as 100 : 72 '4. y. The male childrett under fourteen years of age, bear to the female children of the same period — ages estimated from their personal appearance— the ratio of 36 : 29, or of 100 : 8o'6. Although, as we find, there is a somewhat larger proportion of females to males among children than amongst adults, I am disposed to attribute the discrepancy either to the score of the limited number of instances which the census contains : or to my having recorded as children, some who should have been accounted adult women. S. There is i unmarried girl — a cripple from birth — out of 55 adult females, or r8 in 100. e. There are 22 young men who are said to be unmarried. If we deduct from these 22 adults, the 10 recorded as dairy- men ; who, during the term of office, are compelled, through religious usage, to live eu garco 7 i : we have yet 1 2 men of marriageable age who are stated in th^ Table to be leading a single life. From actual knowledge of the people, I form the opinion that these 12 are Benedicts, de facto. Selections from the Records of the Government of India. Foreign Department. Dated 1867. ^ Statistics deduced from a census of Oudh in 1868-69, relating to female infanticide among Rajput families. CENSUS. lOI We find there to be 49 undoubtedly married men, and 47 married women. If this ratio was strictly true, I should be in a position to announce that the practice of polyandry had become ex- tinct. But if to these 49 men, we add the 12 who are married de facto, we get 61 husbands for the 47 wives, or the propor- tion of 100 : 77. Such, in my belief, is the existing state of polyandry in the tribe — formerly, the discrepancy was perhaps as much as 100 : 40. T). The total of the Table gives a return of 196 people ; from whom, if we deduct the 10 dairymen who live apart, we find that 186 people, of both sexes and all ages, live in 35 rooms, the dimensions of which we know to be 8ft. by 8ft. each ; or 5 ‘3 persons, on an average, in each of such rooms. Such is the average domiciliary condition of the tribe. But in village Menmadd, 23 are shown to be living in 3 rooms, or 8 in some rooms. If such be the custom of the people when in a state of health, we can scarcely form a conception of their miserable plight when epidemics arise : but we can at once comprehend how fatal any form of contagious disease is too sure to become, if it obtains a footing in the homesteads of any primitive race. Let this essential condition of savage life make a deep im- pression on our minds, if we would realise any one of the numerous forms of suffering, hardship, or disaster, to which our forefathers must all, from time to time, have been ex- posed. Rapidly as intelligence spreads amongst civilised nations in these modern days, through the quick interchange of ideas ; we may feel very confident, that in the fetirement of mountains, swamps, and jungles, at an era when all mankind was young and inexperienced ; isolated tribes each gaining their separate knowledge through means of the repeated hard knocks to which their own ignorance of the working of natural laws had rendered them liable, must have undergone the severest trials. A perusal of the column in Table No. 3, which affords CHAP. X. 102 CENSUS. CHAP, particulars regarding the inhabitants, will give a curious i- ^ insight of the social economy of the Mand. It may be viewed as a house occupied by one family ; in each room of which a subdivision of the family lives. If we look closely into the details of — for instance — villages Diljavenu and Koana-koar, we find in the former, 3 rooms in which live 5 adult men, 3 adult women, 2 girls twelve years of age, besides 8 other children of both sexes. In the latter village are 3 rooms containing 6 adult men, 5 adult women, one of whom is unmarried, 1 girl of fourteen years, with 3 small boys. The people do not set apart a room as bachelor-hall, as some equally rude tribes do ; the Kols for instance. I find in a statistical Report of the Nilagiris,'* submitted in the year 1847 to the Government of that day, that the Todas were then estimated at only 337 people. Owing, perhaps, to the low figure at which the number is fixed ; partly also to the existence of certain mistakes, which have of late been dis- covered in the names and positions assigned to certain villages, an impression exists that the data are not to be entirely relied upon. But the record, given as found in the carefully compiled Report, is, I believe, not very incorrect. No census having been published since 1847, I am indebted to the kindness of the late Commissioner of the Nilagiris,® for the most reliable statement of the number of the Todas, extant. Mr. Breeks believes that in the year 1867 they amounted to 455 males and 249 females, of all ages ; giving a total of 704 souls. 6. Referring to the Census Table of 1 1 villages of various sizes ; it appears that there are 1 12 males + 84 females = 196 souls in those Hands, or I7'82 as the average number in each. Of these 112 males, 49 -f 22 = 71 are in the prime of life. * Captain J. Ouchterlony, Madras Engineers, ‘ Statistical Report of the Nilgherry Hills. 1847.’ * Mr. J. Breeks. CENSUS. 103 The precise number of Mands occupied at any one time, has not been ascertained, but the best authorities consider them to be not less than 40. Hence, by a short calculation, we find that the tribe consisted, in 1870, of not less than 407 males + 306 females, or 713 souls ; of whom 258 were men in the prime of life. Now, if the Report from which I have just quoted, should be correct, it would appear that the tribe has more than doubled in about 23 years ; and the opportunity, has been lost to me ; of witnessing the process, and of ascertaining the causes, by means of which a race may die out. With every desire for the happiness of existing Todas, I still grieve to have been deprived of the interesting study. It is very much to be lamented that no vital statistics exist of the people : and that such as I have been able to collect, cannot be depended upon, absolutely ; being merely approx- imate. CHAP. X. I. Of the 196 people found noted in the Census Table, I ascertained by personal inspection that there were only 2 cases of natural malformation ; viz., in the village of Koana- koar, a young woman who was a cripple from birth : in Keshkir, a girl squinting with one eye. X. Only 3 people possessed defects that would either tend to shorten life or to evidence the probability of its soon drawing to a close ; viz., in Ebgodu, a man nearly deaf and blind from old age : in the same village an infant with a skin disease : and in Kirzho, a middle-aged man in bad general health. Many were scored on the shoulder. as a remedy for rheu- matism. One woman was in quarantine after child-birth. And one woman was blind of an eye from a spark of fire having flown into it. It is said that contagious disease is not uncommon, but I am greatly disposed to doubt the statement, as applied to the present day. None came before me marked by smallpox. A case of leprosy was met with; but as the 104 CENSUS. CHAP. X. man afflicted with that dreadful malady, was not amongst the 196 people of the census, the case cannot be used in these calculations. As regards the general appearance of the people ; a large proportion of both sexes and of all ages are doubtless in ex- cellent health. Up to the age of fourteen, the children are certainly, and almost universally, hale and hearty. The young women look well, too : but the young men are often bottle- nosed, with a general appearance of deficient circulation, in- sufficient food, and of athletic exercise. Nature seems to make competent arrangements, by means of which the female sex is able to bear children during the extra period that young men require for the purpose of completing their growth. It is probably a consequence or a portion of this design, that renders girls as a general rule more easy to rear than boys. Be that as it may, these rather weedy youths fill out in course of time, and complete their features with mature age — the large nose is rarely, or perhaps never, apparent in the young ; and seems not to attain its climax till near the age of thirty — the women in advanced years are often draggled in ap- pearance, from poverty and child-bearing. The full-grown men look strong and well. Now for our examination into the augmentation of the numbers of the people. If we allow, that out of the 3 people recorded in para- graph (x) to be in a state of health unfavourable to prolonged existence, 2 die in the course of the year. And suppose that another 2 die in the same period from other causes — a high rate for those who, living a pastoral and quiet life in a healthy climate, are exposed to few vicissitudes — we have then 4 deaths amongst 196 people, in the course of twelve months ; or 2 per cent, per annum, as the extreme death-rate for all ages. In the years between 1838 and i86r, the average ratio of mortality in Great Britain — a country in which high civilisa- L CENSUS. 105 tion and competition, expose its people to vicissitudes from which the Toda is entirely exempt — was i in 45, or 2’23 per cent, per annum.® A. We shall find in a succeeding chapter on Infanticide, Table No. 7, that of 26M + 20 F, or 46 children, who — judging from the ages of the mothers — were of different ages, varying from i to 20 years, 5 died. In other words, lO'S/ per cent, of children born, die of youthful maladies. /4. If, from the same Table, we calculate the number of children, whose mothers being less than 27 years must them- selves be under 10 years of age, we see that of 23 born, 3 died ; or that 13 per cent, died of infantile disorders. An average taken of the mortality of several countries in Europe, gives 38’3 per cent, of children who died in the year 1825, ‘from birth to the age of 10.’^ Not to fatigue my readers with further preliminaries, I will now submit the brief calculation which is to show whether the Todas are dying out or increasing in numbers ; and at what rate of progress. Mathematical accuracy cannot, with justice, be expected ; for, even with the most perfect census possible, there are obvious reasons why exactness is unattain- able. I will premise, in the words of Dugald Stewart, that ‘ the rate at which the multiplication of different races would go, seems to depend on the following particulars; (i) the age at which the parent becomes prolific ; (2) the time that elapses in pregnancy ; (3) the frequency of breeding ; (4) the numbers of each brood ; (5) the period during which the parent con- tinues prolific.’® Suppose then we begin our reckoning with 1 77 married Todas of both sexes. Paragraph this chapter informs us that of this 177, there will be lOO men and 77 women. Tables Nos. 6 and 7 show that the average of women — ® Adam Smith, ‘ The Wealth of Nations.’ ’ Malthus, ‘ Essay on the Principle of Population.’ ® Dugald Stewart, ‘ Lectures on Political Economy.’ CHAP. X. CHAP. X. io6 CENSUS. including a proportion of the sterile — bear children for 20 years, at the rate of 6 children for each woman. We know from paragraph (a), that of 100 children born, ID'S/ die before they attain to the age of 20. The natural death-rate of all ages is allowed in para- graph (x) to stand at 2 per cent, per annum ; which rate is here taken for the proportion of adults only, who die — a very high figure. Hence i8‘29 per cent, will give the number of deaths during the ten years which forms the mean period of child-bearing. Calculation. 77 Number of women who commence to bear children. 77-1 8*29 = 5871 Average number of women who bear children for 20 years. Then 5871x6 = 352-26 Number of children born to those women at the expiration of 20 years. Deduct 52-26-4- 10-87= 32-41 The number of children who die before attaining 20 years. 319-85 The number of children who survive at the expiration of 20 years. During these 20 years, the original 177 people have decreased by 2 per cent, per annum; or 33-21 per cent. = 58-78. Thus 177-58-78= I i 8‘22 438-07 We see therefore that in the course of 20 years, the 177 Todas have theoretically expanded to 438. Thus doubling in 1 6 2 years. ‘ In the back settlements of America, where CENSUS. 107 the inhabitants applied themselves solely to agriculture, and luxury was not known, the people were found to double themselves in 1 5 years.’® And it has been shown by Adam Smith, that ‘ when the means of subsistence are supplied in sufficient abundance, the principle of increase is powerful enough to cause population to advance in geometrical propor- tion, or in the ratio of the numbers i. 2. 4. 8. 16.’'° It follows therefore, taking the present number of the Toda tribe at 713, and the term of doubling at i6'2 years, that in the year 1886 they will have become 1426 „ 1902 „ „ 2852 „ 1918 „ „ 5604 and so on *, of which numbers, nearly one-third will be men in the prime of life. * Malthus, ‘ Essay on the Principle of Population.’ Adam Smith, ‘ The Wealth of Nations.’ CHAP. X. io8 FAMILY STATISTICS. CHAPTER XL FAMILY STATISTICS. The day approaches when the Nilagiris will not afford support for the Todas — Occupations which the Todas might take to — A little educa- tion would give them a good start in life — Toda Males bear to Females the ratio of loo •. 75 — The cause of this disparity between the Sexes — A male-producing variety of man, formed by Infanticide — Useful Family Statistics. CHAP. Supposing that the Toda cattle should multiply at the XI _ , ' — . same rate of progress as their masters are shown to be doing, still the time must sooner or later arrive, when the available grazing land on these mountains will be insufficient to feed them all. I may repeat, that the food, on the due supply of which the Toda depends, is derived from two sources only ; viz., that which is obtained as a cess from the Badagas in lieu of rent for the Toda land they cultivate : and that which is acquired by the consumption and sale of the products of their own buffalos. The first is a fixed quantity ; the second will become a fixed quantity also, so soon as the cattle have attained their largest practicable number. If then the Todas persist in adhering without deviation, to their present habits and customs, it is clear that the time must be approaching when the tribe will drift into a con- dition of great distress. ‘ Food,’ wrote Adam Smith, ‘ is indis- pensable for the support of human life ; and it may be said that this condition of our existence has a natural tendency to make every man perish of hunger ! In point of fact, however, very few perish of want ; and the tendency in question is, in the great majority of cases, far more than counterbalanced by FAMILY STATISTICS. IO9 the opposing principles to which it gives rise — by the industry and foresight which it enforces on the attention of every man.’* Two sources of food, entirely apart from those to which I have alluded, are available ; the adoption of either of which would not only rescue the Todas from immediate danger, but i might stamp an era whence their rise in the world would date, ' viz., the physical labour of the men : and the sale of male cattle, of horns and hides, of which they are at the present time cheated by the Kotas. Both cooly-labour and cattle- breeding, should be occupations suitable to an able-bodied pastoral people. With a race that labours, everything is possible. Civilisation j owes to labour her first impulses. It gives to nature the I opportunity of selection, which the Todas have avoided ; that process, by means of which, the fittest survive, and the in- efficient gravitate first, into the lowest ranks of a population ; i then die out through the want and maladies which are the ' results of their own ignorance and want of vigour. A modicum of worldly education ; a little writing and ciphering, would give them a start in life : some local geog- raphy and knowledge of the world, inculcated by the enforced travelling of some of the more intelligent of their number, would enlarge their ideas. For the rest they must act for themselves. Thus when the time arrives — as come it en- evitably must do — that, in spite of labour and cattle-breeding, the small Nilagiri plateau can no longer contain their ever- increasing numbers ; the little colonies they would throw off, would not retire into the depths of the surrounding country, as ignorant and barbarous as these their ancestors ; to be preyed upon by offshoots from their present wily neighbours : but would have a good chance of becoming independent and im- proving peoples. In paragraph (a) of the last chapter, I showed that the CHAP XI. ' Adam Smith, ‘ The Wealth of Nations.’ I lO FAMILY STATISTICS. CHAP. XL Toda males of all ages bear to the females, the proportion of lOO : 75 ; and the correctness of this statement is somewhat confirmed by the ratio in adults and in children, given in para- graphs ( 0 ) and (y) bearing a similar discrepancy. This excess of males is a very striking fact, and its truth may be accepted without doubt or mental reserv-^e. I think we cannot quite account for the universal paucity of females without ac- knowledging, either that infanticide is, or has recently been practised to a very sensible extent ; or that more boys are born than girls. To what cause may we attribute this wide departure in nature, from those of her well-established laws ; by the operations of which, equality between the sexes, is, within certain limits of divergence, known to be preserved, in all countries of whose population we have accurate knowledge } If we are disposed to describe the cause, in some general expression, as ‘ race peculiarity,’ we still cannot be satisfied with less than the discovery of the physiologic reason for such eccentricity. We note the food and clothing, the mode of life, the climate ; and fail to see sufficient reason for as- cribing what we seek to any such origin. In fact, as regards the Todas, we can with certainty pronounce, that in only two respects can their surroundings be considered to differ widely in an important manner, from that of vast masses of mankind to whom great variation between the sexes has never been traced ; viz., in their marriage system, and in the practice of infanticide. We have learnt that relationship is, with the Todas, inti- mate far beyond that witnessed in any country approach- ing civilisation. Intimate to such a degree, that the whole tribe, where not parents and children, brothers and sisters, are all first-cousins, descended from lines of first-cousins prolonged for centuries. Let me show emphatically and distinctly that such is in truth the case. The tribe con- sists of about 713 persons, divided between 5 clans; of which FAMILY STATISTICS. I I I two are almost extinct. The remaining three clans, being CHAP. nearly of equal number, must contain about 200 members — of all ages each. But one of them — the Peiki clan — marries solely within itself. Hence, this small body of 200 people have intermarried from time immemorial. And the inter- course must have become very promiscuous. I do not attribute disparity between the sexes to this close intercourse ; but it is interesting to review the primitive practice, as a custom connected with the paucity of numbers arising from infan- ticide, and with the polyandrous habit which is found in junction with it. In future chapters we shall see that the practice of in- fanticide as observed by the Todas, was the habitual de- struction of all daughters in every family, except one or sometimes two. And we know that the average size of Toda families is 6 children born to each woman. Now let us for the purpose of illustration take three families as representing an average of the entire tribe ; say that one mother gives birth to 6 daughters and no sons : a second mother has 6 sons only, whilst the third mother has 3 sons and 3 daughters. The first mother — following the triba custom — destroys 4 daughters and preserves 2. The second retains her 6 sons. The third kills 2 daughters and keeps i, as also her 3 sons. We have then, from the three families, 9 sons and 3 daughters with which to continue the breed. But whilst the males belong to families in which the tendency to produce sons is great, the females are of those of a converse inclination. Thus the bias strengthens with each generation, until, as we find, families grow to have habitually more sons than daughters. This habitude outlasting the depraved practice which caused it, indurates more or less, into a fixed character- istic of the people ; and a male-producmg variety of man is formed. In presenting Table No. 4, containing what I have termed ‘ Statistics of Toda Families,’ to the indulgence of my readers. Table No. IV. Statistics of Toda Families. 1 12 FAMILY STATISTICS. u 4) C 1^1 « O ’a c ■E S £ g “ g S o « 3 4> ^ 8 S’! ^2-5 0 fS 1 C X 5 > pj |".1 ^ >.s S ^ ^ G o o is. ‘ g'o '« s w £.2 S Sil 4> ;C S 5 o ctf •5 S o ^ J= X U H I «g£° ^!lg v : £.> ^ C - C'“ ;£ ot/>.o >c s .si o-u _2x*d ■£ £ S St 3 O C ^ X o u X 0 > S k . 2 S’© I I S©l‘BUI3J C o 0*5 O p ^ > I p ■« rt < g, C < O CO — C4 O 00 ’ tf ' O j3i|loae duo o? dtqs -uon^jdjjo ddoSdQ pBdp douis sjBdX JO Jdquinu puB *pB3p dsoqi JO SdSu ©iqBqoJd dAI|-E dsoqi JO sdSB judJBddy sjdqiojg S4dqjojg •sjdqjoja pdLLiBui doms sjBdX JO idqmnu djqBqoj j ? oSb judsdjd ludJBddy SpUBJ^ JO dUIB^ nudABfii(j SpUBJ^ lUdJdjgiQ jsiq dqi uo *o^ in NO FAMILY STATISTICS, II3 ^ o S 5-S .3 ^ E ^ o o c" — d > « e « bfi rt jy*- U5T3— ^ t: y V- S y’C « ^ fc« »C ^ rt — rt tio ^ E n S.S .S f a c>- ■0 0.0'> O =•- E 2 o o-^ . u « - S."^ " ^ E'5 «v 2 H-£2„5 S 2 § " « S-o, . ona *T3 c ■r tf> 3 H I I I I i I sjaqjojg sisqiojg C ^ w VO ipoipt^^ OJX{5S3i3g J^O'51 BU^O-^ npoSqg m VO CHAP. XI. 1 FAMILY STATISTICS, II4 CHAP. XI. Remarks Notes. — No. 5 column has been determined either by reference to age of oldest child, or where the period was manifestly short, from the woman’s own statement. The remaining columns are the result of viv/i voce examination of parents, or of personal inspection. f These two husbands have a younger brother, aged ( 38 ; the village dairyman. f Not pregnant. Child-marriage. Wife older than \ husband. f This man had three younger brothers, married and 1 living in diflerent mands. ] This man had four brothers, who died ; one as a ( child, three married separately. 1 7 'his man has two brothers, widowers, living in the 1 same mand. Not pregnant. Child-marriage. Not pregnant. ( This man has a brother, aged 23, married in another 1 mand. Children Probable ages of those dead, and the number of years since dead Females NO 2 1 1 ^ 00c 1 1 1 1 xn 1 1 ^ 1 1 1 I Males i 1 1 NO tv tv I j 1 ro 1 I 1 “ "“111 Apparent ages of those alive sajeraa^ N 0 CO M j 0^ 0 » 2 ^ 1 i saiEjM = “S 2 1 1 f-C 4 i-t-» OONO NOr^fn « 1 00 C 4 C 4 M n M C« 1 Husbands 9^0 03 dn(s -aop^aj JO aaiSoQ 0 sjamojg peap aotns JO jaqitma poB *peap asoq} JO saSe ajqBqojjj 0 \ 1 1 1 c « 1 1 1 1 00 1 1 1 - - 1 1 1 1 asoq 3 JO saSe 3 uaJBddy 0 10 NO PO W ^ 0 00 x/> v> lO c« w « Clan NO Peiki : : : : : ; Wives paiumn aoms siBaX JO iaquma ajqeqojj »n Cs. w N H. ro tv M 0 fO N Ct 11 saSe }nasajd juajeddy Nt' xo 0 cs ro CO w 0 to C 4 0 00 00 »o C« 11 C« Clan PO Peiki ! : : : : : : spuBj^ JO Cl npoSqg npeSuBg •xtyi am uo ‘oji^ 00 Ot 0 ►» i- w « w fn to NO C 4 C 4 C 4 C 4 C 4 C 4 FAMILY STATISTICS. 1 1 H 2 6 rt ? SB rt ^ J=TJ ci CJ= "8 t rt £ ,/,"0 s « = e ■■ rt rs S W) a rt o , ^2 >> _. JD rt vH c y IS*^ H.S c> rt c ^ 2 « &•£ o Zi o ! III y, rt F c 5 2 rt rt X T 3 S a« « o S; '“'' ^ a rt rt ^ 6 ) y y a o iz; •^1 ^ > H t rt £ 2 *•2 w u 12 ; •— ' — ^ — ' 1 ‘2'2'S III 1 1 1 1 2 “> II 1 «>o.r 1 1 1 1 III " “ 1 1 0 CO III 1 III ^ 1 1 8”'" 83- 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 o »o 0\ j j S-IJ, -S 1 1 1 1 1 1 00 VC N h- •^J'OO N f M N W i-t 1 8. 8,S“8 III 1 1 1 I ^ ^ ^ « VO N N 1 sjotj^oig sjsmojg sjaqiojg 2 " III 1 1 1 1 1 III S ^ 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 III OiW^ i^fOOOiO »/>o ooo W»o l—'vo «W W r^cn 0 m oo ro V/. W N Kenna 71 Peiki Kuttan Peiki Kenna Kuttan Peiki M locoMM CO me^m ^ (n M ON r>^ ^ rn w M m 0 ^Noo o o»o\oo VO NNHI fO mmM ir> m tr> -rf ^ ^ M M Kuttan Todi Kenna ff Kuttan Kenna Peiki ppetnu3i\[ 00 OvOw N m u-> (i N wrom fOCOrOfO VO CO Ov fo m ro m CHAP. XL Ol FAMILY STATISTICS. 1 16 CHAP, XI. FAMILY STATISTICS, II7 CHAP. XI. ii8 FAMILY STATISTICS, CHAP. XI. Table No. V. Information deduced from ‘ Statistics of Toda Families^ Table No. IV. No. on the List | Present ages of Calcu- lated ages when Child- ren Remarks No. on the List | Present ages of Calcu- lated ages when Child- ren. Remarks 1 S3''!AV Husbands — oldest 1 Child — oldest 1 1 Child — youngest ' 1 Wives married | 1 Oldest Husbands married 1 Wives commenced child-bearing 1 Wives left off child-bearing | I Number alive , [ Number dead j Number born I Wives 1 Hiisband.s — oldest 1 1 Child — oldest | Child — youngest | Wives married | Oldest Husbands married | Wives commenced child-bearing 1 Wives left off child-bearing I 1 Number alive 1 j Number dead I I Number bom | I 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 II I. X3 I 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 XX 12 13 I 27 28 12 2 14 15 15 — 4 0 4 Child-marriage. 28 60^66 34 20 25 31 26 40 5 9 2 25 28 II 13 16 H — 3 I 4 Child-marriage. 29 24j28 6 6 16 20 18 — I 0 I 3 4°732S 10 1447 I5|3° 5 0 5 30 22*25 0 0 21 24 — 0 0 0 4 6s'7o4S 12 1924 20^53 4 4 5 31 18 24 0 0 17 23 — 0 0 0 5 60654220 17 22 iS 40 5 0 8 32 30j35 0 0 22 27 — — 0 0 0 Barren. 6 D78 2 6 33 19,30 ° 0 16 27 — — 0 0 0 7 D53 0 ° — — 0 0 34'i9 3o| 0 0 17 28 — — 0 0 0 8 D77124 8 — — — 5 4 9 352840 3 3 23 35 25 — 0 I 9 5068 ° 0 4563 — — 0 ° 0 Barren. 364550 30 2 14 19 15 43 6 2 8 lO 3850 24 6 13,25 14 6 I 7 374545 28 9 16 16 17 36 6 3 9 11 2425 2 2 20|2I 22 I 0 1 38I25 28 12 I 12 15 13 — 2 0 2 Child-marriage. 12 18 22 1 1 16 20 17 - I 0 I 39ji4 23 0 0 10 19 — — 0 0 0 Child-marriage. 13 18 19 0 0 17 18 — — 0 0 0 40 25 30 10 I 14 19 15 — 2 I 3 14 18 28 2 16 26 16 ° I I 41 14 14 0 0 12 12 — - 0 0 0 Child-marriage, 15 40 58 25 8 i4|32 1532 4 2 6 42 SO — 30 14 19 — 20 36 6 0 6 16 22 30 * 1927 20 — I 0 I 4355 — 30 7 24 — 25 48 5 4 9 17 75 79 6 o |35 14 18 15 40 6 4 10 44I40 60 28 5 11 31 12 35 s 3 8 Child-marriage. 18 35 40 16 10 18 23 19 4 I 5 4545 55 29 12 15 25 16 33 2 2 4 19 30 35 10 2 19,24 20 3 0 3 46 30 50 12 1 17 37 18 — 5 0 5 20 19 16 0 0 17 H — — 0 0 0 Child-marriage. 47 II 12 0 0 10 II — — 0 0 0 Child-marriage. 21 50 — 33 18 16 — 17 32 3 2 5 48 12 IS 0 0 9 12 — - 0 0 0 Child-marriage. 22 45 — 20 8 24 — 25 37 5 3 8 49,55 61 35 15 19 25 20 40 4 I 5 23 42 so 22 3 1927 20 _ 4 2 6 50 24 28 0 0 14 18 — — 0 0 0 Barren. 24 20 28 3 2 13 21 17 — 2 0 2 Child-marriage. 51 26 26 10 4 14 14 16 - 3 0 3 Child-marriage. 25 18 25 0 0 17 24 — — 0 0 0 5® 20 35 0 0 14 19 — — 0 0 0 26 28 25 8 I 18 IS 20 — 2 0 2 53 6s 70 42 24 22 27 23 41 4 6 10 27 5570 40 14 14 29 J5 41 3 3 6 5442 56 25 25 16 30 17 17 I 0 I 55|20 26 I I lO 16 19 — 1 0 I Child-marriage. FAMILY STATISTICS, Table No. VI. 119 CHAP. XI. To ascertain the ‘ ages at which Toda women eommence and leave off Child-bearingl Compiled from Tables No. IV. or V. Commenced Child-bearing Left off Child-bearing y X c 2 c S u C ^ y .b f « ? y > jz 0 ^ 2 y bD 0 2 4) J= Remarks 'S 0 3 0 >> Remarks c.> w t> “ a bJO X *oU c c 0 2 g c 0 c V 0 3,*-- d y S 2 R 6 ^ y rt "" £ < CJ 'Z Gh < (J 1 2 27 25 12 1 1 15 14 oT > ci ^ . 3 4 40 65 10 12 30 53 ^ '1 3 40 25 15 10 38 24 14 g s 5 60 20 40 > 0 27 55 14 4L c 0 t}} 23 24 42 20 22 3 20 17 0 a *13 28 60 20 40 OJ 4-> C C rt §■£ g 26 29 28 24 8 6 20 18 t /7 0 rG 0 y) 36 45 2 43 CJ p ^ 35 28 3 25 (/> cJ 37 45 9 36 2 ‘,5 36 37 45 45 30 28 15 17 G 42 50 14 36 38 40 44 25 25 40 12 10 28 13 15 12 G .2 G rt OJ 43 44 55 40 7 5 48 35 § 45 45 29 16 G. iT 45 45 12 33 (A *C B .- £ is i-H 2 C 3 0 0 cu 46 51 54 30 26 42 12 10 25 18 16 17 0 3 CJ u