Mananathavady In history.

Mananathavady In history.

I came through this book and facilitating  history of our own land.   We had a war between natives and British  right out side of my back yard of house. Exactly at Thazheyangadi  and Pandikkadavu. Manaitody was a very important station at that time.. seems Interesting

In April I was nominated to the command of the Wynaudrangers, formed by droughts of the Serin* gapatam local battalion, on its being disembodied. They were a fine body of men, stanch and well disposed, and soon became intelligent and active, exhibiting always that self-confidence and perseverance so essential to make a good and efficient soldier, and which enable him to act with promptitude when left to his own resources. These qualities are greatly developed and strengthened by the occasional exercise of field sports, as the following circumstances, which I may relate without egotism, will shew.

The collector of Calicut found the police force of Kolcars insufficient to check the smuggling which was carried on to a considerable extent between Mysore and Malabar, by numerous gangs of Mapillas. These free traders set the irregulars at defiance, and introduced vast quantities of contraband tobacco from the Mysore country into Malabar, where they sold it at a great advantage, and a proportionate loss to the revenue. government, as is generally known, retains the sole monopoly of the sale of this article within their own territories. On its way to Malabar, the tobacco passed through the southern parts of Wynaud, where the country is most difficult to be kept under strict observation, on account of its hilly and woody nature.

Application being made to me by Mr. S., the collector, to afford him aid towards the suppression of the illicit trade, I accordingly made the necessary preparations, and selecting eighty men, proceeded in the direction indicated as the most likely to bring me in contact with the freebooters. After a very minute inspection of the localities, I found that the duty I had to perform was a little perplexing. Hills, forests, and thickets, intersected by labyrinths of by-paths and devious tracks, rendered it difficult to select posts of observation. I was forced to divide my party into ten detachments, and with such weak guards to occupy as many different posts. The centre and the two extremities were made the strongest, and were also fixed upon as rallying points according to circumstances. Signals were also preconcerted, that in case of a surprise the detachments would render each other mutual assistance. Some days after we had thus occupied the chain of posts, three parties of smugglers attempted to force their way on our extreme left; they were driven back, but joining together in one body, they renewed the attack. Habituated to watch game in the jungles, and to attend to the signals for uniting strength on a particular point, the rangers not only met but anticipated the attack; they charged the Mapillas, dispersed them after a slight resistance, killed eight, and took thirty-six prisoners. Sixty bales of tobacco were the prize of our success.



This mishap taught the smugglers caution; they made a fresh attempt to cross our lines, and it was only by exercising the stratagems used against a herd of deer, that they were baffled. The rangers hid themselves in the thickets, and gave no signs of their presence until the Mapillas and their goods were in the centre of the lines. At the moment the smugglers believed themselves most secure,. they beheld themselves so commanded by the rangers, that they could neither advance nor retreat; they were forced to surrender at discretion, and all their contraband goods were taken.