Page:The Imperial Gazetteer of India - Volume 2 (2nd edition).pdf/153

 BA REILL F.

143

diem agricultural labourers, 2|d. to 3d. and carpenters, 6d. to 2s. per diem. Women receive about one-fifth less than men, while children earn from one-third Prices have steadily increased since to one-half the wages of adults. labourers, 2jd. to 3|d. per

per diem



bricklayers



In 1876, the ordinary food-grains sold per rupee, or 4s. 8d. per cwt. best rice,

the beginning of the century. as follows



— Wheat,

sers

24



7 sers

per rupee, or i6s. per cwt.

cwt.

bdjrd, 30 sers per rupee, or 3s. 9d. per cwt.



]

jodr, 32 sers per rupee, or 3s. 6d. per

In 1881-82, the

average prices of food-grains were for wheat 18^ sers per rupee, or 6s. id. per cwt. ; best rice, 7^ sers per rupee, or 15s. per cwt. ; common rice,

15^

sers per rupee, or

or 4s. 8|d. per cwt.



and

Natural Calamities

.

7s.

3d. per cwt.



jodr, 23I sers per rupee,

bdjrd, 2 24 sers per rupee, or 5s. per cwt.

— Nothing

known

is

occurred in Rohilkhand during the

of

last century,

the

scarcities

though the

which

Muham-

madan historians occasionally mention that after long-continued struggles between the Katheriyas and the Musalmans, or protracted wars of the Afghans against the Imperial troops, much land had fallen out of cultivation, and little grain was left in the country. The great famine of 1783 found Bareilly under the rule of the Wazi'rs of Oudh, who did nothing to mitigate

its

distress never

severity, but the

seriously

In the famine year of 1803, Bareilly had but Very little rain fell recently passed under the British Government. during the autumn, and all the crops failed disturbances arose, and the landlords, unable to pay their share of the revenue, absconded in numbers. The distress reached its height in April, when the people fed their starving cattle on the dried-up stalks of the spring affected Rohilkhand.



In 1837-38, the year of the terrible famine in the Doab, Rohilkhand suffered somewhat for lack of rain but opportune showers in February 1838 saved a large proportion of the rabi harvest. The scarcity of 1860-61 was severely felt throughout Rohilkhand, and this The road from Bareilly to Budaun was District did not escape unhurt. Crowds of starving immigrants from the constructed as a relief work. westward poured into the District, aggravating the local distress, which would not otherwise have reached a conspicuous height. Bareilly was As a whole, owing to only slightly affected by the dearth of 1868-69. the abundant natural water supply of the sub-Himalayan tract, the extremity of famine need not be apprehended so seriously for this District as for many others in its neighbourhood. crops.



Commerce and Trade,

etc.

—The

leading marts in the District are

those of Bareilly and Aonla; but as

many as 173 They are

scattered through the country pargands.

village bdzdrs are

usually held twice

a week, and serve to carry off the cotton and grain of the surrounding country, which is bought up by Banjaras for the markets of Bareilly, Pilibhit,

Rdmpur, and Chandausi.

The

villagers obtain their supplies