Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 5, 1894.djvu/38

30 Kullen will enter a house—of one of the best class of Sudra farmers—demand a good meal, and, having demolished it, will seek the last favours from his host's wife, and meet with no opposition. I have seen a whole village in abject fear of its Maravan watchman, whose courage and daring they felt.

I will just mention that the ingenious device of the notable Jonathan Wild, returning stolen property for a consideration, is in full vogue amongst the Kullens; indeed, it is the base of their success. "Tippucooly" is its common name. Setting fire to hayricks and houses—all thatched—is a common trick of the Kullens and Maravans, whereby to enforce their demands. Some people doubt the racial antagonism in Ireland. Here is something much older, and not less strong.

The courage and energy of the Kullens and Maravans seem to mark them as excellent material for soldiers—and so they are; but their lawless, disloyal character makes it impossible to use them in this way, as a separate corps at any rate, even if they could be got to enlist. To their own chief they are wholly loyal—the Zemindar of Ramnad, the Rajah of Pudakotta, and others—but of the British Government a large number of them know absolutely nothing.

It seems somewhat anomalous that in our administration they should be amenable to Sanscrit (Aryan) Hindu law, which is as foreign to them as it would be to Maoris, though it is supposed to represent their customs (Heaven knows why!) ; and as to restrictions on the liberties of others, that they should be on a par with the mildest Bengali Baboos, who are about as near in kindred and character to them as are the Chinese. Hence their freedom to indulge in plunder.

M. Topinard places the Dravidian thirtieth on his list of races, according to stature. This is, I think, too low. The Kullen and Maravan should come about twentieth, or not much lower. Active, strong, and muscular; quick, eager,