British and Native Cochin, by C.A.L.

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1860 edition. Excerpt: ... committed the crime and buried beneath the gallows. Cases have occurred in the twelve years since tantamount to but not legally speaking murder, but they have been generally.more attributable.to.some.immorality.o.r 88 EESTEICTION ON THE IIA.UHS. extortion on the part of the deceased, than to the indulgence of such intensely cruel passions as stimulated crime years ago. It wight very naturally be imagined that to possess territory adjoining that inhabited by such a class of people wwnld ensure constant anxiety tor its maintenance; and hid it not been for the depressing effect of midgovernment, extortion, and barbarity thene can be no doubt that the million and a quarter Malahars would have been our most fierce enemies, and Haost unwilling subjects. Happily however for the peace of South India we have met with but trifling apposition in this province, and have derived and must continue to derive security from tile disunion luiurally existing between its many strange races. It is ruled nominally by Rajahs with much of the pomp and glitter, the sycophantic aecom-pattiments of olden times, and so far as the distribution of empty honours and the confirmation of triflmg appointments is concerned there 'is little for them to desire; but we have taken very good care to release them from such power as might be brought to bear disagreeably upon us; and with philantrophic representations of that hacknied war-ery of modern 4imes the good of the people, and tender consideration for the security of their petty sovreigns, we have entered into treaties by which very handsome tributes are annually paid her Britannic Majesty, and all virtual authority vested in her representatives. Failure in performing the former part of these treaties will be 'followed...