five million souls, of which only five per cent, are
Mohamedans, and the remainder Hindus. Of native
Christians there are nearly 18,000, all but ten per cent.
Catholics, who have their agricultural communities in
every district. Hassan, until recently one of the
eight divisions of Mysore, has as many as 2,500
native Christians. The Roman Catholic missionaries,
I understood, allow converts to keep their caste, which
is a liberal concession sure to be appreciated ; for without
caste a native becomes contemptible in the eyes of
all, and is expelled from intercourse even with members
of his own family. Each of these eight provinces is
subdivided into eleven talooks, possessing a court of
justice, each presided over by a native, and bribery is
said to be flourishing there to an incredible extent.
The language of Mysore is Canarese, and anything but
euphonious ; according to Professor Max Müller, it is
one of the Turanian tongues.
The present Maharajah is Chama Rajendra Wodeyar
Bahadar, bom in 1863 ; he is very stout, and of pleasant
countenance, holds enlightened views, and is fond of
English society, although a strict Hindoo.
A railway connecting Hassan and Chickmagloor with
Bangalore is now (1888) being pushed on, and likewise
the construction of a fine stone bridge, with nine arches