Chapter COOLIN to COOLY of C by The Hobson Jobson Dictionary

Nal, a brackish lake some 40 m. S.W. of Ahmedabad) by the goddess Hinglaj.

Though this explanation of the general use of the term Cooly is the most probable, the matter is perplexed by other facts which it is difficult to trace to the same origin. Thus in S. India there is a Tamil and Can. word kuli in common use, signifying ‘hire’ or ‘wages,’ which Wilson indeed regards as the true origin of Cooly. [Oppert (Orig. Inhab. of Bharatavarsa, p. 131) adopts the same view, and disputing the connection of Cooly with Koli or Kol, regards the word as equivalent to ‘hired servant’ and originating in the English Factories on the E. coast.] Also in both Oriental and Osmanli Turkish kol is a word for a slave, whilst in the latter also kuleh means ‘a male slave, a bondsman’ (Redhouse). Khol is in Tibetan also a word for a servant or slave (Note from A. Schiefner; see also Jäschke’s Tibetan Dict., 1881, p. 59). But with this the Indian term seems to have no connection. The familiar use of Cooly has extended to the Straits Settlements, Java, and China, as well as to all tropical and sub-tropical colonies, whether English or foreign.

In the quotations following, those in which the race is distinctly intended are marked with an*.

*1548.—“And for the duty from the Colés who fish at the sea-stakes and on the river of Bacaim.…”—S. Botelho, Tombo, 155.

*1553.—“Soltan Badur…ordered those pagans to be seized, and if they would not become Moors, to be flayed alive, saying that was all the black-mail the Collijs should get from Champanel.”—Barros, Dec. IV. liv. v. cap. 7.

*1563.—“These Colles…live by robbing and thieving at this day.”—Garcia, f. 34.

*1584.—“I attacked and laid waste nearly fifty villages of the Kolís and Grassias, and I built forts in seven different places to keep these people in check.”—Tabakat-i-Akbari, in Elliot, v. 447.

*1598.—“Others that yet dwell within the countrie called Colles: which Colles…doe yet live by robbing and stealing.…”—Linschoten, ch. xxvii.; [Hak. Soc. i. 166].

*1616.—“Those who inhabit the country villages are called Coolees; these till the ground and breed up cattle.”—Terry, in Purchas; [ed. 1777, p. 180].

*“The people called Collees or Quillees.”—In Purchas, i. 436.

1630.—“The husbandmen or inferior sort of people called the Coulies.”—Lord’s Display, &c., ch. xiii.

1638.—“He lent us horses to ride on, and Cowlers (which are Porters) to carry our goods.”—W. Bruton, in Hakl. v. 49.

In this form there was perhaps an indefinite suggestion of the cowl-staff used in carrying heavy loads.

1644.—“In these lands of Damam the people who dwell there as His Majesty’s Vassals are heathen, whom they call Collis, and all the Padres make great complaints that the owners of the aldeas do not look with favour on the conversion of these heathen Collis, nor do they consent to their being made Christians, lest there thus may be hindrance to the greater service which is rendered by them when they remain heathen.”—Bocarro (Port. MS.).

*1659.—“To relate how I got away from those Robbers, the Koullis…how we became good Friends by the means of my Profession of Physick…I must not insist upon to describe.”—Bernier, E.T., p. 30; [ed. Constable, 91].

*c. 1666.—“Nous rencontrâames quantité de Colys, qui sont gens d’une Caste ou tribut des Gentils, qui n’ont point d’habitation arrêtée, mais qui vont de village en village et portent avec eux tout leur ménage.”—Thevenot, v. 21.

*1673.—“The Inhabitants of Ramnagur are the Salvages called Coolies.…”—Fryer, 161.

*1673.—“Coolies, Frasses, and Holencores, are the Dregs of the People.”—Ibid. 194.

1680.—“…It is therefore ordered forthwith that the drum be beat to call all coolies, carpenters.…”—Official Memo. in Wheeler, i. 129.

*c. 1703.—“The Imperial officers…sent…ten or twelve sardars, with 13,000 or 14,000 horse, and 7,000 or 8,000 trained Kolís of that country.”—Khafi Khãn, in Elliot, vii. 375.

1711.—“The better sort of people travel in Palankeens, carry’d by six or eight Cooleys, whose Hire, if they go not far from Town, is threepence a Day each.”—Lockyer, 26.

1726.—“Coeli’s. Bearers of all sorts of Burdens, goods, Andols (see ANDOR) and Palankins.…”—Valentijn, vol. v., Names, &c., 2.

*1727.—“Goga…has had some Mud Wall Fortifications, which still defend them from the Insults of their Neighbours the Coulies.”—A. Hamilton, i: 141; [ed. 1744, i. 142].

1755.—“The Families of the Coolies sent to the Negrais complain that Mr. Brook
has paid to the Head Cooley what money those who died there left behind them.”—In Long, 54.

1785.—“…the officers were obliged to have their baggage transported upon men’s heads over an extent of upwards of 800 miles, at the rate of 5l. per month for every couley or porter employed.”—Carraccioli’s L. of Clive, i. 243 seq.

1789.—“If you should ask a common cooly or porter, what cast he is of, he will answer, the same as Master, pariar-cast.”—Munro’s Narrative, 29.

1791.—“…deux relais de vigoreux coulis, ou porteurs, de quatre hommes chacun.…”—B. de St. Pierre, La Chaumière Indienne, 15.

[1798.—“The Resident hopes all distinctions between the Cooley and Portuguese inhabitants will be laid aside.”—Procl. in Logan, Malabar, iii. 302.]

*1813.—“Gudgerah, a large populous town surrounded by a wall, to protect it from the depredations of the Coolees, who are a very insolent set among the numerous and probably indigenous tribes of free-booters, and robbers in this part of India.”—Forbes, Orient. Mem. iii. 63; [2nd