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úru, Bemmatti and Mallipattana, towns in the open country, and fortified them. The Coorgs kept their ground in the hills, and harrassed Mysore by frequent predatory expeditions, when they carried every thing moveable, goods, men, cattle, away to their own country. At last Chikkadéva Vodea proposed to transfer the three towns to the Coorg Rajah, if he would pay their revenue into the Mysore treasury. On these terms peace was concluded. The Pàrpatigàra of the Yèlusàvira country accordingly paid every year the revenue collected from the three Hóbalis (townships) to the Rajah of Mysore. On this account the Yélusávira district received the name of Ittarige Shime, i. e. a country belonging to two parties. Soon after, Chikkadéva Vodea died, and was succeeded by Dodda Krishnaraja Vodea.

Sómashékara Nayaka of Ikkéri planned an expedition against the country of Cherkal in the Malayalam. He possessed Mangalore and some places to the south of it, and wished to add the principality of Cherkal to his dominions. Advancing by Níléshvara, he gained a battle, and became master of half the country. He built some wooden forts, garrisoned them and proceeded to subjugate the rest. Viravarma of Cherkal, unable to cope with Sómashékara Náyaka, sent a most humble message to Dodda Vírappa of Merkara, entreating him to interpose his good offices between him and his kinsman of Ikkéri, who, he said, had taken half his coun try and threatened to take the rest. Dodda Vírappa assured Víravarma of his friendship, and bade him to be of good cheer. Without delay he sent an embassy to the camp of Sômashékara, and interceded for his neighbour. Sómashékara refused to listen to Dodda Vírappa's proposals, pleading the expense of the war in money and men. At last he yielded so far, as to agree to evacuate the country on payment of 18 lacs of Rupees.

Víravarma promised to pay, and begged Dodda Vírappa, to become security for him. Sómashékara Nayaka warned the Coorg Rajah against trusting the word of a faithless Malayalam Prince. Dodda Vírappa, however, confided in Víravarma's honesty and gratitude, and stood security, whereupon Sómashékara Náyaka retired from the Malayalam country. On his return to Ikkéri he halted some days at Subrahmanya, the great place of pilgrimage at the foot of the Bislighatt. Dodda Vírappa went and paid him a visit of state. Nine lacs of Rupees Víravarma paid unhesitatingly to Dodda Vírappa, when he sent officers to take charge of the first instalment of the heavy war-contribution. But when the second deputation from Coorg came to him and demanded the balance, he treated them most insolently, and sent them home with empty hands. Dodda Vírappa forthwith despatched a force of 5000 Coorgs under his General Jògi Muttanna to the Rajah of Cherkal and demanded payment. Vìravarma delayed from day to day. Muttanna at length threatened. Whereupon the Malayálam debtor formed a scheme to destroy the whole force, which had come to dun him so disagreeably. Ali, the Rajah of Cannanore, howaver, heard of the treacherous plan of the Cherkal Rajah, and sent some Máplis to Muttanna to warn him of his danger, and to inform him, that Vìravarma instead of paying his debt, was contriving his destruction. On receipt of this intelligence, Muttanna started at night for Cannanore. He was way-laid by a party of Viravarma's people, but repulsed them and escaped to the coast. The Rajah of Cannanore provided boats and sent the whole Coorg force to Kumbla, a port near Mangalore, in the country of the Ikkéri Rajah, because all the passes leading direct to Coorg were in the hands of Viravarma. From Kumbla Muttanna proceeded through the Tulunadu and reported on his

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arrival in Coorg the conduct of the Rajah of Cherkal. Dodda Vírappa now despatched nine lacs of Rupees from his own treasury to Ikkéri and informed Sómashekara of the faithlessness of Viravarma. Sómashékara invited the Coorg Rajah to Ikkéri. He expressed his regret, that his kinsman had neglected his warnings and thereby suffered a great loss. To indemnify him in some measure, Sómashékara presented Dodda Vírappa with a number of villages, belonging to the eastern districts of the Tulu country, contiguous to the Hills of Coorg. These villages, he said, he gave to supply Dodda Virappa with milk (Amrita), and called the transferred district Amrita, a name afterwards changed into Amara. Dodda Vírappa took this opportunity for purchasing the district of Súlya with money taken from the Talakávéri temple-treasury, in order to secure a regular supply of cocoanuts for the Goddess. Thus Amara-Súlya became part of the territory of the Rajahs of Coorg. Sómashékara Náyaka died, and was succeeded by Búdi Basappa Náyaka.

Appájirája, the son of Dodda Vírappa kept a concubine and ill-treated his queen, who, driven to despair, threw herself into a well. When Dodda Vírappa heard of the violent death of his daughter-in-law, he cast his son Appáji, together with the only son of his lawful wife, into prison. After twelve years of imprisonment Appáji died. Upon his death some Coorg chiefs in Dodda Virappa's confidence, interceded for the young prince, who had shared his father's captivity. “Appájirája," they represented, "has atoned for his crime. His son is innocent. You are now old, and there is no one to succeed you but your grandson still in prison." The Rajah was persuaded and sent for his grandson. Chikka Vírappa was anointed as successor to the throne a. D. 1730. (Sádhárana year of Kaliyuga, 4832.) Having lived in prison from his childhood, he was sickly and

H

subject to nervous complaints. He remained an invalid all his life. Dodda Vírappa died in 1734. Two of his wives ascended the funeral pile with the dead body of the Rajah. Dodda Virappa's younger brother, Appájirája of Háléri died about the same time. Nandarája also of Horamale, likewise a younger brother of Dodda Vírappa, followed his brothers shortly. Dodda Krishnarâja Vodea reigned at Mysore, and Búdi Basappa at Ikkéri.

On the death of Dodda Krishnaraja of Mysore, Chamarája Vodea succeeded to the government. He cast his eye upon the widow of the late Rajah. The latter complained of the Rajah's conduct to Dévaraja, Chámarája's General, who remonstrated with his master. Chámarája, incensed at his general's intrepid language, banished him from Court. The General called Nandarája of Bengalúr and Nandarája of Maddagiri to his assistance. They defeated Chámarája and took him prisoner. He was sent to Kapáladurga, in the fifteenth month of his reign, and Chikkakrishna Vodea, a boy of ten years, was placed upon the throne. About this time Búdi Basappa Náyaka died at Ikkéri, and Iramma his widow carried on the government. The three principalities of Mysore, Ikkéri and Coorg were at peace.

The young Rajah of Mysore was married to a daughter of Karáchúri Nandarája, General Dévarája's brother. Nandarája, became first minister, to his son-in-law. Hyder Náyaka held a small command in the Mysore

.army.

The Nawab, Chanda Saheb, laid siege to Trichinopoly. Mohammad Ali Khan, the attacked party, applied for assistance to Nandarája, Chikkakrishna Vodea's prime minister. The latter engaged the services of Murári Rao of Gutti and despatched an army to raise the siege of Trichinopoly. In this expedition Hyder Nayaka also took a share. Some English troops joined the army

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engaged against Chanda Sáheb, who was completely defeated and took refuge in the temple of Jambukéshvara. Mohammad Ali, however, ordered him to be seized, and cut off his head. Karáchúri Nandaraja returned to Seringapatam. Hyder Náyaka had made some booty and was rising in reputation. Chikkakrishna Vodea upon the return of Karáchúri Nandarája from Trichinopoly remarked, that the expedition was a costly and useless affair. The Rajah's remark was carried to Nandarája. Enraged, the prime minister raised the standard of revolt, seized his master and kept him close prisoner at Seringapatam. Thus four years passed. Dévarája, the Commander-in-Chief, now died at Mysore. His widow having formed a connection with a Brahman official, persuaded Doddammáji, Dod dakrishnaraja's widow, to make her friend prime minister. When Karáchúri Nandarája heard of the intrigue, he marched against the Brahman Kanderáya. The unhappy favorite fled. Hyder Nayaka was sent in pursuit, and overtook him. He attacked and defeated him, put him into an iron cage and starved him to death. Having thus executed his orders, Hyder went to Seringapatam, seized Chikka Krishna Vodea and his mother Muddammáji or Doddammaji, took the fort, turned Chelvammáji the widow of Dévaràja, the late Commander-in-Chief, out of her husband's house, and established himself in it. He now called himself Hyder Ali Khan, Bahadar.

Irammaji of Ikkèri, Búdi Basappa Nàyaka's widow, conferred her favors upon Nambyanna, one of her servants, destroyed her own son, and appointed her paramour to the office of prime minister. When Hyder Ali Khan heard of these proceedings, he assembled a large force, engaged the services of Baramanayaka, of Chitrakalldurga (Chittledroog), and besieged with this united army the fortress of Ikkéri. In 1762 (Kaliyuga