CONTENT CHAPTER I.-THE DISTRICT (a) Its Limits and Physical Features 1 (b) Mountains 6 (c) Rivers, Backwaters, and Canals 8 (d) Geological Formation 18 (e) Climate and Natural Phenomena 29 (f ) Fauna and Flora 38 (g) Passes, Roads and Railway 62 (h) Ports and Shipping Facilities 69 CHAPTER II.-THE PEOPLE. (a) Numbers, Density of Population, Civil Condition, Sex and Age 81 (b) Towns, Villages, Dwellings and Rural Organization 82 (c) The Language, Literature, and State of Education among the People 90 (f ) Caste and Occupations 108 (e) Manners, Customs, &c. 152 (f) Religion 178 Hindus 178 Muhammadans 190 Christians 199 (g) Famine, Diseases, Medicine 214 CHAPTER III.- HISTORY. (a) Traditionary Ancient History 221 (b) Early History from other Sources 246 (c) 825 to 1498 A.D. 276 (d) The Portuguese Period, A.D. 1498-1663 295 (e) The Struggle for the Pepper and Piece Goods Trade-A.D. 1663-1766 340 (f ) The Mysorean Conquest-A.D. 1766-1792 402 (g) The British Supremacy-A.D. 1792 to date 476 CHAPTER IV.-THE LAND. (a) Land Tenures 600 (b) Land Revenue 625 I. Preliminary Remarks and Plan 625 II. Historical Facts down to 1805-6, relating to the Low Country 631 Kolattunad 631 Randattara 634 The English settlement at Tellicherry and Dharmappattanam Island 636 Iruvalinad 638 Kurangott Nayar's Nad 640 Kottayam 642 Kadattanad 643 Payyormala, Payanad, Kurumbranad, Tamarasseri 647 Polanad, Beypore, Pulavayi 650 South Parappanad, Ramnad, Cheranad, Ernad 653 Vellattiri, Walluvanad, Nedunganad, Kavalappera 656 Vadamalapuram, Temmalapuram, Naduvattam660 Bettanad 663 Kutnad, Chavakkad, Chetwai 666 III. Retrospective Summary as for the year 1808-6 in the Low Country 669 IV. The system of Land Revenue management adopted in Malabar, 1805-18, and the Positions of the Ryot and of the actual Cultivator considered 681 V. Subsequent Land Revenue History of the Low Country down to the present time 688 VI. The Exceptional Nads 706 Cannanore and the Laccadive Islands 706 Wynad 708 Dutch Settlement at Cochin 715 Dutch Settlement at Tangasseri and English Settlement at Anjengo 719 VII. Final Summary and General Conclusions 719 INDEX 727