Page:History of the Indian Archipelago Vol 3.djvu/68

 56 PUBLIC REVENUE. Hindu village. The quantity varies with the fer- tility of the soil ; and the state of population, being generally not less than half an acre, and seldom exceeding half a dozen. The cultivators are upon an equality, until one among them is chosen by themselves, or nominated by their superiors, to preside in the affairs of the village. Even in the latter case, it is a measure of policy not to offer vio- lence to the feelings of the villagers by placing an obnoxious person over them. The chief of the vil- lage thus appointed is the person entrusted with the collection of the public revenue, and the fol- lowing is a fair example of the division which he makes of the crop. Suppose the crop of a given quantity of land consists of sixty parts, one-sixth is deducted from the gross amount at once for reap- ing, which, in almost all cases, goes necessarily to the cultivator and his family. Of the remaining fifty parts, a tvventy-iifth, or four per cent, goes to the village priest or astrologer, after which the re- mainder is divided in equal parts between the cul- tivator and the sovereign. Although the nomiutil share of the sovereign and cultivator therefore be one-half each, the actual shares of the parties are as follow : The cultivator, - - 84 parts. The priest, - - 2 The sovereign, - - 24> 60