the residence of a Mahratta jageerdar, usually styled the Jessaye of Kittoor.

KOHAN, called also FERGHANA, a division of Tartary, occupying the north-eastern part of the country, separated by ranges of mountains from Toorkistan on the north, and Koondooz on the south, and bounded on the east by the Beloot Tagh. It may be described as the valley of the river Jaxartes, which flows through the middle, from east to west. It is a fertile and wellcultivated district, and its productions are similar to those of Bokhara. It is celebrated for its silk. The principal town is Kokan, situated on the Jaxartes, and containing about 150,000 inhabitants. This province forms an independent principality under an Uzbek chief, who bears the title of Khan, and claims his descent from Alexander the Great.

KOLAPOOR, a town in India, in the province of Bejapoor, is situated about seventy miles south of Sattara, a short distance to the westward of Merrich. It is a neat town, and the capital of the district of Kolapoor. KONDAPILLY, or MOOSTUFFA

NUGGUR, one of the Northern Circars, in India. This district, which now more commonly bears the name of Masulipatam, is separated from Ellore, on the north, by the Lake of Kolair, and the river Ooputnair; and from Guntoor, on the south, by the river Kistna. It is a very fruitful district, being well watered by the Kistna and other rivers. There are diamond mines in this circar, but for many years past they have been unproductive. The towns are Kondapilly, and Masulipatam. KONDAPILLY, a town in Kondapilly, or Masulipatam, one of the Bengal dependencies, in India, is situated inland, a few miles north of the river Kistna, in Lat. 16 deg. 37 min. N., Long. 80 deg. 33 min. E. This place was formerly called by the

Mahomedans

Moostuffa-Nuggur,

and was a hill fort, and the ancient capital of the district, under both its Hindoo and Mahomedan rulers. KOOCH BAHAR, one of the Bengal dependencies in India, situated between Bhootan on the north, Bijnee on the east, Rungpore on the south, and Sikkim on the west. The southern portion of this district is fertile and well cultivated, but to the north of Bahar, approaching to the mountains, the land becomes marshy, covered with thick jungles, intersected by numerous nullahs, and completely choked with rank grass, reeds, and ferns. Its principal article of produce is opium. Its chief town is Bahar, or Vihar, situated in Lat. 26 deg. 18 min. N., Long. 89 deg. 22 min. E., about thirty miles north-easterly from Rungpore. It derives its name from that of its capital Bahar, with the addition of Kooch, to distinguish it from the Indian province of Bahar. The inhabitants of this country are generally styled Kooch, or Koochee, and the Bengalese usually look upon them as a low and impure race. This opinion, however, is very disagreeable to their chiefs, who reject the name of Kooch, and assert that they are of divine origin. The people style themselves Rajbungsees. The Brahminical system appears to have been introduced at an early period, and is now nearly general; some, however, of the original Kooch tribes, who still remain in a very rude state, follow their ancient practices. The prevailing dialect is believed to be the Bengalee. KOOKERY, a large curved knife used by the Goorkhas of Nepaul, and those who compose the rifle corps in the Bengal army. It answers the several purposes of hewing wood, destroying animals, close combat, and putting a wounded enemy out of his misery.

KOOLEES, a wild predatory tribe, spread in considerable numbers throughout the province of Guzerat,

in India, forming numerous clans under the command of different chieftains. They have always been noted as a most turbulent race, delighting in war and bloodshed, and preferring plunder to any other means of subsistence.

They are hardy and brave, and, with the Bheels, were for a long series of years the incessant disturbers of the province of Guzerat, until coerced by the British into more regular habits. The Portuguese at an early period used the name coolie as a term of reproach, and from them it has passed in the same sense to the English. This must not be confounded with the word cooly, commonly used in Southern India, which is derived from the Tamil language, and merely means a labourer for hire. bably both the Bheels and Koolees are of the same race, and it is the common belief in Guzerat that these rude tribes are the original inhabitants of the province.

Pro

KOOMIS, mare's milk. The Tartars,

who make long marches and live almost entirely in their tents in desert wastes, subsist chiefly upon coarse flour and mare's milk. Carrying the former in bags, and the latter in skins, or extracting it from their steed as they cross the steppes, these hardy horsemen content themselves with a handful of the flour dipped into the milk, and rolled into a ball, once or twice in the twenty-four hours.

KOONDA, iron spikes, or large wooden pegs, to which it is customary in India to fasten an elephant's hind legs while he feeds or is at rest. KOONDOOZ, a division of Tartary, which now includes Budukhshan, is situated in the south-eastern part of the country, between Bokhara, Balkh, and Afghanistan, having the Beloot Tagh along its eastern side, and on the southern the Hindoo Koosh. The district of Koondooz consists of a valley among low hills, which extend from east to west for about thirty miles, and from north to

K

south forty miles. Its climate is very unhealthy, the heat of the summer being excessive, while in winter the snow lies upon the ground for three months. The greater part of the valley is so marshy that the roads across are constructed of wood. The district of Budukhshan, on the contrary, is celebrated for its climate, and for its abundance of fruits and flowers, though from having been repeatedly ravaged by the neighbouring tribes, it is now almost depopulated. Koondooz produces abundance of rice, and in the dry parts wheat and barley; silk also is produced on the banks of the Oxus. Budukhshan is celebrated for its ruby mines; it also yields lapis lazuli, sulphur, salt, and iron. The chief traffic of the province is in cattle and slaves. The principal towns are Koondooz and Khooloom. Koondooz is the residence of the chief, but is otherwise an insignificant town, and does not contain more than 1500 inhabitants. Khooloom is situated on the western frontier, and is the principal trading town; it contains about 10,000 inhabitants. The inhabitants of Koondooz are chiefly Tajiks, with a small proportion of Uzbeks, and the province is under the government of an Uzbek chief, who bears the title of Meer of Koondooz.

KOOR, a practice in the peninsula of India (now nearly disused) of a very singular and cruel nature. A circular pile of wood is prepared ready for conflagration; upon this sometimes a cow, and sometimes an old woman, is placed by the constructors of the pile, and the whole is consumed together. The object of this practice is to intimidate the officers of government, or others, from importunate demands, as the effect of the sacrifice is supposed to involve in great sin the person whose conduct forces the constructor of the koor to this expedient. KOORG, a province of India, bounded on the north, east, and south, by Mysore;

west, Malabar and Kanara. The rivers are the Clavery and Boodraa; both have their sources in Koorg, and there are various other small streams. This province, being situated in the midst of the mountains, is composed of a succession of hills and valleys, in some places open, with some scattered trees and shrubs; but the hills, for the greater part, are wild, and covered with forest. The valleys are exceedingly fertile, yielding a plentiful supply of rice, and cattle in abundance, the pasturage being excellent. The forests produce sandal, teak, and other valuable woods, and abound with elephants. There are no manufactures. There are no towns of any consequence in this province, the Koorgs preferring to live scattered over the valleys, and in their woods. The rajah's principal residence, and which may therefore be called the capital, was Merkara, situated nearly in the centre of the country, about fifty miles north-easterly from Tellicherry, and 178 from Bangalore. The natives of this province, or, as they are usually styled, the Koorgs, are a division of the Nair caste of Hindoos, and have always been considered as a people of martial habits. Some of the tribes inhabiting the hills and forests are of a very wild character. The total population is estimated at 200,000. The religion is Hindooism, and the language Kanarese.

KOOTEE, a house. The word is in use in Persia as well as India. KOOTHUL, Persian. A steep mountain pass.

KOOTUB MINAR, a lofty pillar of curious brick work, standing amidst some ruins in the vicinity of Delhi. This wonderful pillar derives its name from Cutteb-ud-din (the polestar of religion), who having come from Turkistan as a slave, was purchased by the Emperor Mahommed Ghori, rose in his favour, became a great general, and ultimately succeeded to the throne, and was the first of the Patan, or Affghan sove

reigns. In the year 589 Hegira, 1193 A.D., he took the fort of Meerut, and the city of Delhi, from the family of Candy Rei, and established the. seat of his government there, and obliged all the districts round to acknowledge the Mussulman faith: to commemorate this, and other successes over the infidels, this pillar was commenced about the year 1195

A.D.

The circumference at the base is 143 feet; height of the first balcony 90 feet; the second 140 feet; the third 180 feet; the fourth 203 feet. Total height in 1826 was 113 feet. There were spiral stairs to the top, easy of ascent; but part were torn away when the pillar was struck by lightning they have been repaired at the expense of the British Government. The balconies have been restored, and the cupola rebuilt; but there are doubts if they have been executed in the original style of the building. The following inscriptions in Persian are found upon the pillar. "No. 1.-The prophet, on whom be the mercy and peace of God, has declared 'whoever erects a temple to the true God on earth, shall receive six such dwellings in Paradise.' The Minar, the building of the King of Kings, Shems-uddunya-Waud-din, now in peace and pardon-be his tomb protected, and his place be assigned in heavenwas injured by lightning in the reign of the exalted monarch, Secunder, the son of Behol (may his power and empire last for ever, and his reign be glorious) and therefore the slave, Futteh Khan, the son of Mesned-Ali, the liberal of the liberal, and the meritorious servant of the King, repaired it according to command, the 13th of Rebi-ul-Akher, in the year 909. No. 2.-The Sultan Shems-ul-Hak-Wa-ud-din Altumsh erected this building. No. 3.-In the year 907, this Minar having been injured by lightning, by the aid and favour of God, Firozmend Yamani restored whatever was needed by the building may the supreme Lord