Page:The Aristocracy of Southern India.djvu/86

66 resumed by the Muhammadans and appropriated for the support of their numerous garrisons and establishments. These lands the local Foujdars and Nawabs always retain under their immediate management parcelling out the rest of the country into Zemindaries. But the Muhammadan rulers were impatient of details and a mode was invented of transacting the business of revenue more in the gross. Their revenue agents were rendered stationary in the districts where they collected and became responsible to Government for revenue, receiving payment by a percentage or share of what they collected. Under native governments every thing which was enjoyed, whether office or possession, had a tendency to become hereditary. There was a convenience in preserving in each district the same agent of revenue, and after him, his son or successor, because each was better acquainted with the people and the resources of the district than, generally speaking, any other man could be. In this manner the situation of these agents became in fact hereditary, and before the period of the English acquisitions, the Persian appellation of Zemindar had been generally appropriated by them. The Jeypore Zemindari and the family of its Rajah are of old standing, and the origin of both is involved in a mist of tradition.

"Previous to the acquisition of the Northern Circars by the East India Company, Jeypore was paying tribute to Hyderabad.

"In 1848, the affairs of the Samastanam fell into a great confusion owing to the insubordination of some members of the Maharajah's family. The disturbance went so far that Lower taluks were attached by the Government. The troubles lasted two years and broke out again in