Page:Gazetteer of the province of Oudh ... (IA cu31924073057352).pdf/437

 SUL 429 83 Od Hindus DRO Density of population. The district is very thickly inhabited. Mr. Williams shows that Oudh in density of population surpasses even the most populous countries of Europe, and Sultanpur, in respect of the average number per square mile, falls below three districts only of the province, while with regard to the number per cultivated acre it is equalled by Lucknow alone. Classification according to creed.—The total population of the district according to the general census was 930,633*. It was divided into three great classes, the numbers of which were as follows: Christian (European and Eurasiang) Muhammadang ... 91,566 $88,467 Which, with 557 prisoners and employés in the jails, give the total men- tioned above. Christians.—The Christians, are very nearly all Government employés. It will be seen that there were no natives among them, Mr. Williams accounts for this by the very probable supposition that they have been entered in the returns as Europeans or Eurasians. The error as regards this district, however, was, so far as I am able to say, limited to a single instance, that of one Matthew, a cobbler. Musalmans.-The Musalmans in all were rather less than one-tenth of the whole population. Of these again, about one-fourth only belonged to the Sayyad, Shekh, Mughal, and Pathin classes, another one-tenth was composed of converts from the principal Chhattri castes, and the remainder of all the lower castes of Muhammadans. Hindus.—The Hindus still form the bulk of the population; and of the multiplicity of castes into which they are divided, the Brahman predo- minates not only in social importance but also in numerical strength, forming no less than 14 per cent of the inhabitants of the district. Next in both respects, among the higher castes, come the Chhattri clans aggre- gating 8 per cent., and after these come in order the Vaishyas and the Káyath. Of the meaner castes, the Ahír contains the largest number, Dearly 10 per cent., and is followed by the Chamár and Pási. Gújars are more common in Sultanpur than elsewhere in the province. Classification according to occupation.—Compared with the rest of Oudh, the district contained a large portion of non-agriculturists, and yet agriculturiste amount to no less than 56.9 per cent. Of the more skilful castes Muráos are numerous, but Kurmis remarkably few. Class distribution.Musalmans of the higher classes are to be found only in towns. Hindu converts to Islámism are intermixed with their unconverted brethren. Of the Hindus the Chhattris are with a few giveo. The great difference between the population now and at the time of the census is due to redistribution of territory.
 * The details of the present popnlation which amounts to 996,576 bave already been