Page:Life in India or Madras, the Neilgherries, and Calcutta.djvu/525

Rh to escape the evils which followed on the overthrow of an old dynasty in the Mysore. Their language, the Canarese, is somewhat corrupted, but they are in all respects Hindus. To the Todars, as lords of the soil, they pay tribute of grain; for though superior to them in civilization, they are inferior to them in moral and physical force.

In religion, they are, like the people of the plain, worshippers of Siva in the form of the Linga, of Bursawa, the bull on which he rides, and of other Hindu deities. Their superstition is unbounded. Mr. Metz, of the Kaytee mission, greatly shocked them by his contempt of their fears. On the mission grounds stood a tree to which, in former times, they had been accustomed to offer sacrifices, regarding it as the residence of a god. By the predecessors of the missionaries this had been overlooked, but these sturdy followers of Luther would allow no idolatry on their premises. As the people of the neighbouring village were determined to continue their sacrifices, Mr. Metz announced his resolution to cut the tree down; they remonstrated, but in vain; they sent to the policemen for help, but the missionary was not to be frightened by the belted peon, (con-