[Coat West] Elos Act 4 The Snake Road

[Lynda Durnil]

In general terms the Mahrattas, in the wider sense, may bedescribed under two main heads: first the Brahmans, and secondlythe low-caste men. The Mahratta Brahmans possess, in an intensedegree, the qualities of that famous caste, physical, intellectual andmoral. They have generally the lofty brow, the regular features,the spare upright figure, and the calm aspect which might beexpected in a race maintained in great purity yet upon a broadbasis. In modern times they have proved themselves the mostable and ambitious of all the Brahmans in the Indian Empire.They are notably divided into two sections: the Konkanast, comingfrom the Konkan or littoral tract on the west coast below theWestern Ghāt mountains; and the Deshast, coming from theuplands or Deccan, on the east of the mountains. Though therehave been many distinguished Deshasts, yet the most remarkableof all have been Konkanasts. For instance, the pēshwas, or headsof the Mahratta confederation which at one time dominated nearlyall India, were Konkanast Brahmans. The birthplaces of thesepersons are still known, and to this day there are sequesteredvillages, nestling near the western base of the Ghāts, which arepointed to as being the ancestral homes of men who two centuriesago had political control over half India.



[Coat West] Elos Act 4 The Snake Road

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MAIDENHEAD, a market town and municipal borough inthe Wokingham parliamentary division of Berkshire, England;24 m. W. of London by the Great Western railway. Pop.(1901), 12,980. Area, 2125 acres. It is pleasantly situated onand above the west (right) bank of the Thames, and is muchin favour as a residential town and a resort of boating parties.Though of high antiquity it is wholly modern in appearance,and a large number of handsome houses have been built in itsvicinity. A beautiful timbered house of the 15th century, however,survives in Ockwells, a short distance south of the town.The stone bridge carrying the London road over the Thamesdates from 1772; but the crossing is of ancient importance.Maidenhead has trade in malt and grain. The borough isunder a mayor, 4 aldermen and 12 councillors.


The Malays wear a loose coat and trousers, and a cap or head-kerchief,but the characteristic item of their costume is the sarong,a silk or cotton cloth about two yards long by a yardand a quarter wide, the ends of which are sewn together,Costume, Weapons, &c.forming a kind of skirt. This is worn round the waistfolded in a knot, the women allowing it to fall to theankle, the men, when properly dressed in accordance with ancientcustom, folding it over the hilt of their waist-weapon, and drapingit around them so that it reaches nearly to the knee. In the hallof a raja on state occasions a head-kerchief twisted into a peak isworn, and the coat is furnished with a high collar extending roundthe back of the neck only. This coat is open in front, leaving thechest bare. The trousers are short and of a peculiar cut and material,being coloured many hues in parallel horizontal lines. The sarongis of Celebes manufacture and made of cotton, to the surface of whicha high polish is imparted by friction with a shell. The typicalfighting costume of the Malay is a sleeveless jacket with texts fromthe Koran written upon it, short tight drawers reaching to the middleof the thigh, and the sarong is then bound tightly around the waist,leaving the hilt of the dagger worn in the girdle exposed to view.The principal weapon of the Malays is the kris, a short dagger witha small wooden or ivory handle, of which there are many varieties.The blade of a kris may either be wavy or straight, but if wavythe number of waves must always be uneven in number. The krismost prized by the Malays are those of Bugis (Celebes) manufacture,and of these the kind called tuasek are of the greatest value. Besidesthe short kris, the Malays use long straight kris with very narrowblades, shorter straight kris of the same form, short broad swordscalled sundang, long swords of ordinary pattern called pedang,somewhat shorter swords curved like scimitars with curiouslycarved handles called chenangkas, and short stabbing daggers calledtumbok lada. The principal tools of the Malays are the parang orgôlok, a heavy knife used in the jungle, without which no peasantever stirs abroad from his house, the beliong or native axe, and thepisau raut, which is used for scraping rattan. Their implements arevery primitive, consisting of a plough fashioned from a fork of atree, and a rude harrow. Reaping is usually performed by the aidof a curious little knife which severs each ear of grain separately.The fisher-folk use many kinds of nets, which they manufacturethemselves. Sails, paddles, oars and punting-poles are all in use.

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