PALANKEEN TRAVELLING

seems to signify little whether or not you are personally
acquainted with these gentlemen, for it is the universal
fashion in India to be obliging and hospitable. The
bearers written for will, therefore, always be found
waiting for you at their assigned stations. It some-
times answers equally well, and saves time and trouble,
to send on as many sets of bearers as may be required
to make the journey. Thus, when I left Madras on
my second journey overland, I sent forward one set to
the Mount, eight miles distant; another to Sri Par-
matura, twenty miles further; a third to Baul Chitty's
Choultry, twenty-four miles further, which was about
twenty short of Arcot, my first halting-place. I have
already mentioned, that each set of bearers consists of
thirteen men, when a journey is to be made. The
ordinary price of this description of labour, when I was
in India, and I don't suppose it has changed materially
since, was three fanams [or about sixpence and a
farthing] to each bearer for every ten English miles, or
six shillings and ninepence for the whole thirteen,
which is about eightpence per mile. An additional
sum is paid for those sets which are sent on past the
first &age, and, of course, something extra is paid to
them daily when they are kept waiting.

Fanams, rupees, and pagodas,1 form the money
current at Madras, There are twelve fanams in a
rupee, and forty-five in a pagoda. The word rupee
[or rupiya] means silver, and is applied to that metal
generally. What we term fanam, I remember being
told was called "folium" by the natives; this, as
etymologies go, is but a small shift. But where the

1 Pagoda: [This word, probably derived from Pers. but kadaht
"idol house," is applied to (i,) a Hindu temple; (2,) an idol; (3,) a
coin (probably so called from the figure of the god which it bore).
Accounts at Madras down to 1818 were kept in Pagodas, Fanams
and Kas (cash); 8 kas =i fanam; 42 fanams =1 Pagoda or Hun,
equivalent to 3 rupees. In 1818, the rupee became the Standard
currency.]

183