Final Report on the First Regular Settlement of the Dera Ghazi Khan District

· 1876 · Public domain (published pre-1930) · archive.org ↗

2Apropos of paras. 158 and 159, I think it hardly fair to

3quote the arbitrary diversions of canal water made in the

4interest of the Manka extension as an instance of the policy of

5the Canal Department. It was the Deputy Commissioner who

6started the project, and what was done by Mr. Eirwan in

7carrying it out, was not done in pursuance of any departmental

8policy, or in obedience to any departmental orders, but in the

9interest of the chief of the Leghdris.

1011. A very good account of the appearance, character,

11and habits and customs of the people is given in Chapters XI

12and XII, and at the end of the latter chapter is a description

13of the system of Frontier management, which is well worth

14reading. The contrast between the people within and with-

15out ttie Frontier is illustrated by an interesting account of an

16expedition across the border made by Mr. Fryer and Captain

17Sandeman, the Deputy Commissioner.

18Apropos of the constitution of the Biloch clans, my

19opinion is that payment of Land Revenue in kind to or through

20the Tumanddr is not a matter of Biloch custom. ^Outside our

21territory the Biloches, like the Pathdn clans, pay no rent or

22dues for their land, either in cash or kind, to their chief. The

23practice of collection in kind by the Tiimandar arose from the

24policy of the rulers of this part of the Derajdt with whom

25the clans were brought into contact when they descended

26from the hills into the outer plains. They of course demanded

27from the Biloches the "mahsiil" or State share of the produce

28of cultivated lands ; and when they felt strong, and times were

29quiet, they sent their own agents to collect it ; but they often

30found it necessary or politic to secure the assistance of the

31chiefs of the clans, and for this purpose granted them cash

32leases of the grain collections at favorable terms. The prac-

33tice, however, did not, I think, amount to a regular system or

34custom, the chief oftenest only got the lease of the villages

35nearest his head-quarters, and sometimes he was conciliated

36in some other way, a&, for instance, by a jagir or inam.

37Judging from their holdings, the manner in which the

38border clans entered^the district must have differed consider-

39ably. Some appear to have come down in force like the

40Pathd,n clans of the Upper Derajat, driving out entirely the

41old proprietors, and dividing the conquered territory among

42themselves on tribal shares. Others appear to have settled