Page:Gazetteer of the province of Oudh ... (IA cu31924073057352).pdf/438

 430 SUL exceptions lords of the soil : they lie in clans, and it may almost be said that each pargana has its own phylarchy. Brahmans and others are scattered about promiscuously; they own a village here and there usually acquired by grant or purchase from a Cbhattri. Character of the people.The people are characterised by a bold and manly spirit. "The natives say," remarks General Sleeman," that the air and water of Málwa may produce as good trees and crops as those of Oudb, but can never produce such good soldiers. This I believe is quite true. The Sultanpur district is included in the Banaudha division of Oudh, and the people speak of the water of this division for tempering soldiers as we talk of the water of Damascus for tempering sword blades. “ They certainly never seem so happy as when they are fighting in earnest with swords, spears, and matchlocks. The water of the Baiswara division is considered to be very little inferior to that of Banaudha, and we get our sipábis from thes: two divisions almost exclusively." Their condition --Under native rule no man's property or even life was safe for many days together; Government officials, instead of afford- ing the protection it was their duty to, busied themselves only in their own enrichment, and became the most active oppressors of the people. They kept up duplicate accounts, the one forged for the minister at Luck- now, the other genuine for themselves, and in plain words embezzled the difference. Under the plausible pretext, therefore, of collecting the just revenue of the state, they extorted as much as they possibly could from the landholders of every degree. Their immediate inability to pay was immaterial, if a money-lender could be found to advance the requisite amount; and in that case they were compelled to give their creditors a mortgage-deed bearing the exor- bitant interest of 24 per cent, per annum. The example set by officials was readily followed by private individuals, and the consequence was that every zamindar kept as many armed retainers as his means permitted, nominally to repel force by force when necessary, but in reality employed as often as not for purposes of aggression. Under such circumstances there was little inducement, even where the opportunity occurred to attempt to accumulate capital, and the result is that the landed proprietors are now, as a rule, poor, unthrifty, and deeply involved in debt. In sketching such a state of things in the past and present, it is natural to look also towards the future, and here it is gratifying to find that the prospect is considerably brighter. The landholder, while conscious that if he would retain his estate, the payment of the revenue assessed upon it is indispensable, also knows that that amount will not be exceeded; be is confident too, that no powerful neighbour will carry off his harvests, and thus deprive him of the means of paying it, he finds additional safety in the ever-increasing price of agricul- tural produce, and if, in an unfortunate season, he is obliged to resort to the money-lender, he is charged no more than half the former rate of interest. For the relief and protection of the more important encumbered