men, who, Simulated by the caufe of their country and of their'
religion, were crowned with victory *. The Nayrs "are the
nobility o f Malabar, the antient dominions of the Zamorins,
and in times o f their profperity formed the body guards. Ort
the firft appearance of Cabral at Calicut, the Zamorin fent two
o f his Nayrs to compliment him on his arrival. They have at
all times been famed for their valour and love of war. They
are of the great military cafts the Khatre t, and fuppoit to this
day the fpirit of their anceftors. They are exceffively proud,
and are never known to laugh. They are befides fo very in-
folent to their inferiors, that it is faid, i f a perfon of the lower
order dare to look at a Nayr, he may be put to death on the fpot
with impunity. Among the good qualities o f the Nayrs, may be
reckoned their great fidelity. It is cufiomary for them to tin-
dertake the conduit o f Chrijlian or Mahometan travellers, or
itrangers, through their country. The latter never venture
without taking a fingle Nayr with them, who makes himfelf
refponfible for - their fafety; even an old decrepit man, or a
boy is fufficient for the purpofe fi Should any misfortune befall
the charge, it is related, that the Nayrs, unable to bear the
difgrace, have frequently been known to put themfelves to
death §. Notwithftanding this, at other times they are notorious
* Britiih India, by the Horn Charles Greville, iii. 7 6 6 Alio Mackenfie’s Sketch oi
the War with Tippoo Sultan, i. p. 17.
f Sir Thomas Herbert’s Travels, 3d edit. p. 337 : He calls them Cutteries, meaning KhatreS«
J Nieuhoff, in Churchill, 272, 273.
$ Delion’s Voyage, 94, 95.
robbers,
robbers, and even will murder the. traveller [unproteited by one
o f their caft.
In their perfons they are well made, and o f great ftrength:
Their complexion more black than olive, their hair crifp, but
longer than that o f the Negro; their ears enormoufly long;
they think that cuftom graceful, they lengthen them by art,
and hang on them and their nofes numbers, o f baubles. They
at times load their arms and necks with filver bracelets and
chains of pearl. In time of war, on their head, they wear a moft
ungraceful clout hanging down, pointed on each fide, and a
ihort wrapper round the waift, with a dagger ftuck in a fafh ;
all the reft of them is naked. In one hand is a fword o f vaft
length. Such is the figure o f one given by Captain Byron,
engraven by Vivares. In religion they are o f the Hindoo; in
marriage ftriif monogamifts.
P a r ‘a l l e l to Mount Dilli and to Mahe, a final! dominion,
called Coorga, extends beyond the Ghauts, unfortunately into
the Myfore. It confifts of mountains and vaft forefts, flickering
tigers and elephants innumerable, being one of the few places
in which the laft are at prefent found in a ftate o f nature. The
late Ayder Alii in vain attempted to fubdue the brave inhabitants.
Family feud between the Rajah and his brother, enabled
him to effeft his purpofe. He deftroyed one family, made
prifoners of the other, and poffeffed himfelf of the country.'
The prefent Rajah, then a boy, was fon to the younger of the
contefting brothers. This youth was by Ayder compelled to become
a Mujpulman, with all the ihameful ceremonies'of initia-
A a a tion.
C o o r c a N a y r s .