August, 1873.]

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TUMULI IN THE SALEM DISTRICT.

who has no increasing riches is liberality that is profitable for all things. The patience shown by one who has the power and ability to op press others is patience indeed. 6. They who are noble will, in the sight of all men, take patiently and regret the evil words that issue from the mouth of the vulgar like stones that are thrown, being influenced by the consideration of their high birth, as the cobra quickly closes its hood when ashes are thrown upon it.

7. To be unresisting to those who would oppose them as enemies, the wise call not imbe cility. When others have impatiently opposed them and done them evil, it is good if they do

8. The wrath of the vulgar will continue to spread though it run on a long time; the anger of the excellent in disposition will cool of itself, like the heat of boiling water. 9. Having done them a kindness they mind it not; do them never so much unkindness they will do what is kind; but to do unjustly, even through inadvertence, is not proper for those who are born in a high family. 10. There are none here who, though they see a dog snap angrily at them, will in return snap at the dog again with their mouth. When baseborn persons mischievously utter base things, will the noble repeat such words with their mouths in return ?

not evil in return.

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(To be continued.) TUMULI IN THE SALEM IDISTRICT. BY THE REV. MAURICE PHILLIPS, L.M.S.

A Report prepared for the Madras Government. I.

The Tumuli found in the Salem District

is found generally, but not invariably, that the

may be classified either according to their con tents, into—(1) Tumuli without bones and urns; (2) Tumuli with urns but without bones; and (3) Tumuli with bones and urns; or, according to their internal structure, into—(1) Cromlechs and (2) Cairns. Cromlechs” are those tumuli the inside of which is formed by four perpendi cular stone slabs in the shape of a cist or a box. Cairns are those which have no internal lining of stone. They consist of two classes: (A) Cairns in which large earthen urns baked in fire, containing human bones, small urns, and orna ments, are found—which urns appear to have

mouth of the tumulus is covered with a stone

slab varying in size from 2 feet long by 2 feet broad, and 4 inches thick, to 9 feet long, 6 feet broad, and 14 inches thick. Forty men with strong wooden levers failed to raise one of the largest stones. Fire had to be kept under it for hours till it broke, before it could be removed.

When the top-stone is removed the presence or absence of the border formed by the edges of the four perpendicular stones which form the cist, shows whether it is a cromlech or a cairn.

If a

These classes of tumuli do not differ in gene ral outward appearance. They presentthemselves to the eye as mounds of earth and small stones, of variuos sizes, circular in shape, and often surrounded with circles of large stones. They

cromlech, the fine sandy earth within the chamber must be carefully removed till the flat-bottomed stone appears, and if there be any objects in it they will be found resting on that stone. The chambers vary much in size. Some of them are as small as 3 feet long, 2 feet wide, and 2 feet deep; and others are as large as 5 feet long, 3} feet wide, and 4 feet deep. Cromlechs generally contain small urns and iron implements, but no bones except very small pieces which appear

measure from 3 to 20 feet in diameter and from

charred.

1 to 4 feet in height. Very often in the stone circles, four large stones opposite the four points are seen towering above the others; and in the

of the pit are shown either by the appearance of the mouth of a large urn (Class A), or by

case of cromlechs the entrance is from the east.

pit is filled and that from which it is dug (Class B). These large urns invariably contain

been intended to incase the chamber instead of

perpendicular stones; and (B) Cairns whose chambers have no artificial covering.

After clearing away the mound and stones, it

If it be a cairn, then the dimensions

the difference between the earth with which the

• Cromlech is from the Keltic crom ‘crooked' or curved, and lech a stone, “and therefore,” as Mr. Fergusson

observes, “wholly inapplicable to the monuments in question.” See his Rude Stone Monuments, p. 44. Capt. Mackenzie's paper, ante, p. 7.--Ed.

Conf. also