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214 INDIA (RACKS AND LANGUAGES) few in number, but they are intellectually and physically fine men ; and it has been said, " Name a distinguished Hindoo, and there is a very great probability that he will turn out to be a Khatree." They are now principally en- gaged in mercantile pursuits in the Punjaub. Although the Rajpoots are now quite Hindoo- ized, it is not generally supposed that they are of a pure Hindoo origin ; they have no tribal or caste name, Rajpoots being a title, signify- ing "sons of rajahs," and their other appella- tion of Thakoors signifies " chiefs." They were probably in former times in possession of the Punjaub, but they have been submerged there by the advancing Jats. A Rajpoot tribe called Dogras still possess the lower hills to the north, and their chief is now lord of Cashmere. The Gangetic basin is the great Rajpoot country of history, and they are still very numerous there. They have never actually conquered the aboriginal people, but Rajpoot families have by mere force of character established themselves as chiefs over many of the hill tribes, and, adopting a feudal system similar to that which once prevailed in Europe, they now rule all the races of Rajpootana. The Jats probably arrived in the country later than the Rajpoots ; they seem to have entered by the Bolan pass in the north, where some of their people settled among the hills, and have thence gradually overspread the whole country. They are extremely robust and warlike, excellent subjects, admirable agriculturists, and good revenue payers. Physically there is no finer race in India ; they are tall and strong, with fine features, fine teeth, and very fine beards. In their institutions they are democratic, and every village is a complete little republic. Most of the remaining modern divisions may be de- scribed as mixed, though Aryan features and institutions prevail among them. The Koor- bees or Koonbees-are a great agricultural race, occupying large parts of Guzerat, and scattered to some extent over the whole Mahratta coun- try. It is difficult to understand how the quiet and unwarlike Mahratta cultivators could ever have been the warlike people so famous in re- cent history. It seems, however, that the hardy military Mahrattas came exclusively from the 8. W. parts of the country, where they had largely mixed with the aboriginal tribes of the Western Ghauts. The ruling Mahrattas of Nagpore come from the Sattara country. The remainder of the Mahratta armies were made up of adventurers of every caste and creed. In this they differed from the Sikhs, whose forces were mainly their own free people, the Jats. Other Aryan races are probably represented by the more pastoral or cowherd tribes ; they are the Goojars of the north, the Aheers of Hindostan proper, the Gwalas of Bengal, and the Goordees of central India. The last three are of a type less alloyed than that of most tribes. Local tradition and general consent at- tribute to them the old ruins and remains of former greatness so common in this part of the country, and the curious cairns and stone cir- cles are also supposed to -have been erected by them. In every part of India, and forming an essential part in the social structure, are found helot races among the free; they are not slaves, but politically and socially they are the lowest class of subjects. In the Punjaub they are the Chooras ; in Hindostan, the Choomars ; in the Mahratta country, the Mhars. The Chooras are of a fair Aryan type ; the Choo- mars generally have round faces, small feat- ures, and dark complexions, and possess only a very slight infusion of aboriginal blood ; in the Mhars, and in some of the lower castes of Bengal, the aboriginal features are more de- cidedly represented. A very remarkable race are the traders known as Banyans, Banees, Wanees, Baniyas, Bunneahs, or Bunijugas; they form an important class of the population of the western countries of India. The North- western Provinces are in respect of commerce entirely in their hands; Guzerat, Malwa, and the Bombay district are full of them, and they are numerous also in the Canarese country. They are famous for their trading acuteness. It is supposed that the Jains also belong to the Banee caste ; they are a mercantile body, and conduct almost exclusively the entire banking business of India. The name of the Dravidians or Dravidas, who are considered to be the abo- rigines of India, is derived from Dravida, the Sanskrit name of the southern portion of the peninsula. The native Sanskrit lexicons define a Dravida as " a man of an outcast tribe, de- scended from a degraded Kshatriya." The term Dravidian, therefore, seems to have been applied by the Aryan invaders to the inhabitants of southern India at a very early period, probably about the 6th century B. 0. They may also be divided into Kols or Mundas, inhabiting the northern districts, Dravidians proper or those of the south, and Cingalese or inhabitants of Ceylon. The Brahooees of Beloochistan are a Dravidian race. Hodgson designates the Dra- vidians proper as Tamulians. Campbell has given to the northern Dravidians the name of Kolarians, from the name Kolar by which India was known in ancient times. The term Kol is specially applied to the non- Aryan inhabitants of the hill country of Chota Nagpore, Mirza- poor, and Rewah. Mundas is used instead of Kol by other authorities, as the Mundas were the prior occupants of this region. To the Kols or Mundas belong the Santals, Singhbhoom Kols, Ramoosees, Bheels or Bhillas, Kolees, and other tribes. To the Dravidians proper be- long the Tamils, Telugus or Telingas, Oanarese, Malayalas, Gonds, Kolhs of the Rajmahal hills, and many others. The Santal or Son thai tribe appears to be very widely spread ; it is found in Chota Nagpore and in the skirts and valleys of the Rajmahal hills ; according to Capt. Sher- well, its range is from Cuttack through Chota Nagpore to Rewah. The Kols in the Singh- bhoom district are termed Lurka Kols. The tradition among the people is that they came