[451] The so-called primitive division into four castes: Brahmans (priests), Kshatriya (soldiers), Vaisyas (husbandmen and merchants), and Sudra (common people, outcasts, subject peoples?), mentioned in the later texts of the Vedas, is rather an indication of the division into three principal classes of the ruling race as opposed, in a homogeneous whole, to the conquered aboriginal race (fourth caste).
[452] Sénart, “Les Castes dans l’Inde,” Ann. Mus. Guimet., Bibl. de Vulgar, Paris, 1896 (sums up the question). To the bibliographic references to castes which are found in this excellent book must be added the “Introduction” to the work of W. Crooke, already quoted; it appeared subsequently.
[453] The ingenious deductions of Risley (loc. cit., Ethnogr. Glossary, vol. i., Preface, p. 34, Calcutta, 1892), which may be summed up in the aphorism, “The nasal index increases in a direct ratio to the social inferiority of the caste,” have been criticised by Crooke (loc. cit., p. 119), who however is too absolute in his statements, and does not take any account of the seriation of anthropometric measurements.
[454] E. Schmidt, “Die Anthrop. Indiens,” Globus, vol. lxi. (1892), Nos. 2 and 3. For the measurements of the different peoples of India see [Appendices I.] to [III.]; the figures are chiefly borrowed from Risley, loc. cit., Crooke, loc. cit., Jagor, Thurston, loc. cit., Sarasin, loc. cit., E. Schmidt, loc. cit., Deschamps, Au pays des Veddas, Paris, 1892, with pl.
[455] Jellinghaus, “Sagen, Sitten ... der Munda-Kolhs,” Zeit. f. Ethn., vol. iii., 1872, p. 328; Dalton, loc. cit., p. 150; Risley, loc. cit., Ethnogr. Glossary; Crooke, loc. cit.
[456] The word Ho (Hor or Horo), which recurs in the name of all these tribes, signifies everywhere “man,” and indicates their close linguistic relationship; their manners and customs are also alike, especially in regard to the constitution of the community. Religion among them all is an animism blended with very vague polytheism. In their physical characters there are some differences; the Munda and the Bhumij are short (1 m. 59) and very dolichocephalic (ceph. ind. on the liv. sub. 74.5 and 75), the Santals are below the average height (1 m. 61) and a little less dolichocephalic (76.1). The Ho, among whom we may assume a greater infusion of Indo-Afghan blood, are of somewhat high stature (1 m. 68). The number of these four tribes, united under the name of Santals in the census of 1891, amounted to a million and a half.
[457] Ball, Jungle Life in India, p. 267; Fawcet, “The Saoras of Madras,” Journ. Ant. Soc. Bombay, vol. i., 1888, p. 206; E. Dalton, loc. cit., p. 149.
[458] They must not be confused with the Mal-Paharia, who dwell farther to the south in the same district of Santhal Parganos (Bengal), and whose affinities are still obscure; from the somatic point of view there is, however, hardly any difference between the two groups.
[459] They must not be confounded with the Kharwar or Kharvar, Dravidians of Chota Nagpur, the southern parts of Behar and Mirzapur; these are half-civilised husbandmen, having a particular social organisation. Their higher castes have an infusion of Hindu blood, while the type of the lower castes recalls that of the Santals. The Kûrs of the Mahadeva hills are closely allied to the Kharwar.
[460] Cf. Shortt, Account of the Tribes of the Nilghiris, 1868; Marshall, A Phrenologist among the Toda, London, 1873; Elie Reclus, Primitive Folk, ch. v.; Thurston, Madras Gov. Museum Bullet., vol. i., No. 1, and vol. ii., No. 4; G. Oppert, The Original Inhabitants of India, London, 1894, and Zeit. f. Ethnol., 1896, pt. 5.