1 ( 109 )
2 2nd. The Ekairy Suisayer, comprising the Honully, Sagur, Shikar-
3 poor and Soorab Talooks, together with the Cusbah of Bellavendoor i in
4 the Nuggur Talook.
5 8rd. The Phoot Talooks Izarah, comprehending the Cuddoor, ‘Hu:
6 ryhur, Terrikerry and Chennagirry Talooks, with the exception of
7 the Cusbah of the .last, which was included in the Cowlidroog Sur-
8 sayer. — :
9 -18. ‘The Phoot Talooks Izarah was rented by a Wut Izardar, who
10 bound himself by his Moochilka to realize a certain annual sum for the
11 Circar, and whatever he could scrape together or extort beyond that sum’
12 was his own property.
13 19. The two Sursayer [lakhas were made over to the management of
14 Amildars, nominated on the Shurtee system of bestowing the appoint-
15 ment without reference to qualification on the man who would bid highest
16 for it. It was stipulated that they were not to keep the executive in
17 their own hands, but were to sub-let it to others, over whom they were to
18 execute vigilant control, and in particular to prevent all undue exactions
19 and oppression. But these were mere words. The Amildars almost in-
20 variably retained the collections in their own hands, and knowing right
21 well that they were liable to supersession at any moment, their sole object
22 was to feather their nests in the shortest possible period.
23 20. In cases where the agency of sub-renters was really employed,
24 the same description will apply, with the additional touches which must
25 be given to enable the reader to understand that the trader was even
26 more victimized than when his oppressor carried on his transactions on a
27 larger scale. These sub-renters themselves obtained their appointment
28 on the Shurtee system, and had to squeeze out. a double profit to remu-
29 nerate both themselves and their employer, while the permanency of
30 their appointment, was more dubious than his, inasmuch as they not
31 only might be turned out at his pleasure, but were also removeable along
32 with him when he was superseded from the Durbar.
33 21. These sub-renters therefore had to work double tides to make up
34 a purse, and endless were the devices resorted to. Some contented
35 themselves with squeezing more than was due from every trader who
36 passed through their hands; while others, with more enlightened views
37 in the science of extortion, attracted merchants to their own particular
38 line of Cuttays by entering into private arrangements with them to let
39 their goods pass through at comparatively light rates,