South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1921-09-23


bar. scene OF riotng. is an India OF
human frictions. but otherwise an
India OF quiet back-waters Of lux
lriant vegetation. OF crocodiles.
1gers. Ieopards and wild elephants
he east or traditions and Dreams"
Iays a bulletin from the headquar-
GERS Of the National Geographic So
,.ety Of the region where British
forces are trying 10 restore order.
The Moplahs OF Malabar number
about a million. Most OF them are
descendants OF Arab traders who
auded on the west coast In the
ainth century. although some are
descended from converts OF Hindu
sm and other indigenous Moham-
medan groups
Calicut, the City OF Calico.
"Malabar stu has considerable
commerce but the large foreign
trade has departed for ports where
steamships can safely anchor and
dock. Although Calicut gave its
name 90 calico, the weaving OF this
cloth has almost died out and piece
goods are among the most important
omports.
Malabar's paddy fields. backed by
graceful coconut groves. which also
fringe the coast. and IT'S wealth OF
pepper cadamons. ginger. tea. cof-
Zee and teak, suggest the Orient 70
those who do not know of the i'm
ports of machinery hardw ware fab
rlcs and kerosene which are chang
lnz a fairy land into a modern dis
tr.ct This small region, shut in be-
tween the towering mountains and
tho blue sea, perfumed with spices
and rich with food is the last place
that one would look for rebellion or
organized revolt. But the Moplahs
WAC sell their lives dearly and are
the type which delight the reader Of
adventure and harass the police and
s0ldlery. are once more rallied be-
meath the green flag which the fol-
lowers OF the Prophet once carried
10 Spain and 10 the gates OF Vienna.
Time and again they have revOlted
against the Hindus and so fierce is
their fanaticism That native bayonet5
have been useless against them In
1900. two years after the arrival OF
Vasco da Cana. on his famous voy-
route 10 the east. a Portuguese fac
tory was destroyed by the Moplahs.
or Mopiilae and the inmates muir
dered. This led TO a bonn bardment
OF Calicut by Portuguese men-of-
war. (Calicut is not 20 DE confused
with CalCutta).
Have Long Riot Record.
For nearly a century the peace
Of Malabar has been periodically dis
turbed by these fanaticaI Mrslems.
Since 1851. a detachment of British
infantry has been stationed at Nal
appuram, and attacks made against
this group were repulsed some days
ago. In 1873. the Moplahs started
serious outbreak at Kolattur and II
years later a small group Of these
fanatics took up a strong position in
n Hindu temple in Trikkalur, from
which they were routed by the use
OF dynamite. In 1894 a gang OF IS
Moplahs at Mannarakkat were dis
persed by howitzer fire and in 1895,
a hundred men were shot IN Manjeri,
a village Of 1000 in Ernad Taluk.
which had teen the scene Of an ear
lier Moplah outrage in 1S49.
"Malabar IS a narrow coastal plain
$50 miles in length from north 10
south. fronting on the arabia sea
on the Eu-opward side oc India, and
backed by the Western Chats. 5000
10 5000 feet high and from 90 TO 60
miles from the coast. The only
break IN the mountain wall Is at Pal
CHAT Gap, Is miles wide. through
~ .fh
wise segre gated region The rail-
way line divides at Shoranur, near
the Ponnani river. one fork turning
south to Cochin and the other north
70 Mangalore. passing through Cali
cut, the French settlement Of Maize
and Cannanore on its way to the
South Kanara district.
Just now, Malabar IS being swept
by the southwest monsoon which dis
charges heavy rains along the coast,
and turns the short rivers that cut
the seward face Of the Western
Chats into rushing torrents.
Everglades Cut by Canals.
Along the coast there IS a mar
row evergIade region made up Of
back-waters and lagoons, many Of
which are connected by canals which
are an important feature n the COM
munications OF the region. Here the
flora IS varied and luxuriant but ma
laria IS common. Game animals are
numerous among the foothills. The
uplands are heavily wooded in most
parts They consist OF precipitous
peaks with dark green ravines IN
which silver streams descend in nu-
rerous waterfalls. all uniting 10
form scenes of unrivaIled beauty.
Mmabar is the most beautiful, the
richest and most fertile district Of
Madras presidency.
zone hundred and fifty miles of
the mainland. but included IN the
Malabar political district are the
hundred thousand Islands, the Lac
cadives.
'AIalabar has never known famine.
and floods are rare. Trade once dis
tlngulshed the region and was car
rled on with the Phoenicians, with
the Jews under solomon. the Seleu-
cid Syr.ans. the PtolemaiC Egyptians.
the traders of imperial Rome, the