1 200 APPENDIX— SUCCESSIONS.
2 Adoption by the widows is not allowed, and the female
3 line is entirely excluded from the succession, to prevent
4 the estates merging' in the possessions of another family.
5 The inconvenience, and evil, originating in the pre-
6 vailing practice amongst the Manjhee families, of sue-
7 cessive and minute sub-divisions of landed property,
8 aggravated by the system of coparcenary possession, are
9 seen, felt, and acknowledged, and the mischief of such a
10 system cannot be too soon remedied.*
11 Amongst the Malwa Singhs, the rights of primo-
12 geniture in the males are respected, and Jageers, or
13 grants of land, are assigned for the maintenance of
14 younger sons, by which the many inconveniences, notic-
15 ed in the practice, or rule established amongst the
16 Manjhee families, are obviated.
17 * The Agrarian Law thus adopted amongst the Manjhee Singhs, and
18 the condition to which it has reduced many families, may receive illus-
19 tration from the analogous picture drawn by Sir John Davis in his work
20 entitled Discovery of the causes, why Ireland was never entirely subdued by
21 the English. " The custom of Gavil-kiud did breed another mischief, for
22 " thereby every man being born to land, as well bastard, as legitimate,
23 " they all held themselves to be gentlemen. And though tiieir portions
24 " were never so small, and themselves never so poor, for Ciavil-kind must
25 " needs in the end make a poor gentility, yet did they scarce descend to
26 *' husbandry, or merchandize, or to learn any mechanical art or science.
27 " Besides these poor gentlemen were so aifected to their small portions of
28 " land, that they rather cliose to live at home by theft, extortions and
29 " cashering than to seek any better fortunes abroad. The lesser proprietors
30 " should be encouraged to attach themselves to, and acknowledge the
31 " authority of some neighbouring superior. This is an arrangement that
32 " will not be attended with the least loss to them in a pecuniary point of
33 " view, and it will ensure the certainty of having so many horse at com-
34 " mand under one leader, instead of havingmany individuals, without a
35 " head, or what is worse, so insignificant, as not to be remembered ia a
36 " moment of exigency."