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BILASPUR.

449

and openly defied authority. Captain Lucie-Smith, however, at once proceeded to the spot, and the zam'mddr uncondition-

to his fastnesses

His e.xecution, and the confiscation of his property, checked any further opposition, which in so wild a country might have proved most harassing. Population In 1872, Bilaspur District, with an area of 7798 square miles, contained a population returned by the Census of that year at By 1881, the population, on the same area, had risen to 715,398. 1,017,327, or an increase of 301,929 (42’2 per cent.) in the nine years. This increase, however, is much more apparent than real, owing to very defective enumeration in 1872, particularly in the zamindari part of the District, where the work was left almost entirely in the hands of the zaminddrs. The population of the District in 1881 (1,017,327) was distributed throughout 3724 towns and villages ; number of houses, 290,299, of which 281,580 were inhabited and 8719 unoccupied;

ally

surrendered.

effectually

.

—

130-5 per square mile;

average density of population,

occupied

house,

3-61.

Divided

according

inmates per

were 513,281; proportion of males in According to religious classification,

504,046, and females total population, 49-6 per cent.

males

to

there

sex,

orthodox Hindus numbered 629,659; Kabirpanthis, 87,348; Satndmis, 133,086; Muhammadans, 9625; Sikhs, 10; Christians, 35; Jains, 17;

The most numerous of the aboriginal 157,547. Gonds, 123,928 in 1881, of whom 8811 were returned as Hindus, the remainder consisting of Bharias, Marias, Kurkus, Baigds, Among the Hindus, Brahmans numbered in 1881, 23,224; etc. Rajputs, 15,928; Kurmis, 41,327; Tells, 61,324; Ahi'rs or Gauh's, 84,546; Chamars, 95,020; Marars, 24,541; Dhobis, 15,178; and Kewats, 34,767. As regards the occupations of the people, the Census of 1881 classifies the male population into the following six main

aboriginal

tribes,

tribes is the

divisions:

(3)

—

(i) Professional class, including

learned

the

commercial

(4)

agricultural

class,

and

Government

officials

and

domestic servants, etc., 2724; including merchants, traders, carriers, etc., 3215

professions,

6715;

(2)



pastoral

including

class,

gardeners,

242,562

and other industrial classes, 29,551 (6) inand non-productive (comprising 8056 labourers and 211,223

(5) manufacturing, artisan,

definite



unspecified, including children), 219,279.

A

cloth of scanty dimensions forms the sole dress of a cultivator,

a cloth of larger size satisfies

women.

down

It

is

all

tightened at the waist;

to the knee, the other half

across the right shoulder.

is



few, except

For ornaments, a man

young Gond

II.

will

adopt a gold or

pride himself on a silver waist-

wear toe-rings or day rice and ddl

ladies,

classes habitually take three meals a

VOL.

and, while half hangs loosely

spread over the breast, and drawn

silver bracelet, or small ear-rings, or

band

and

the requirements of fashion for the

—

anklets. at

All

noon, rice 2 F