1 POPULATION, MANNERS, AND CUSTOMS. 81
2 knowledged, and the mischief of such a system
3 cannot be too soon remedied.
4 " Amongst the Malwa Singhs, the rights of
5 primogeniture in the males are respected, and
6 jageers, or grants of land, are assigned for the
7 maintenance of younger sons, by which the many
8 inconveniences, noticed in the practice, or rale
9 established amongst the Manjhee families, are
10 obviated.
11 " The Malwa Singhs, with exception to the
12 Bhaees, sanction and admit the usage of ku-
13 rawa, thereby opposing a bar to disputed suc-
14 cession between the brothers, nephews, and the
15 widows of a deceased chief.
16 "The Bhaees of Khytul, and other places,
17 although they reject the union by kurawa, yet
18 set aside the claims of a widow, in favour of
19 the brothers and nephews of one dying without
20 male issue. The widows of Bhaees receive small
21 jageers (lands) for their support during life.
22 " The Mahomedan families scattered over the
23 Sikh states, who have been enabled to preserve
24 their existence, and the shadow of power, reject
25 the ordinances of their lawgivers, and are guided
26 by rules of their own forming. Were the Maho-
27 medan and Hindoo laws an inheritance, as
28 inculcated by the Shura and Metakshara, to be
29 made the leading principle in succession to
30 landed property, very few, if any, of the many
31 E 5