He was
twelve lacs of rupees in balance when superseded at the end of the
year, in September last, by the present governor, Aga Allee, who
manages the same districts on a salary of two thousand rupees a-
month, without any contract for the revenues, but with the
understanding that he is to collect, or at least to pay, a certain
sum.
The late contractor will no doubt relieve himself from the burthen of
this balance in the usual way. He will be imprisoned for a time till
he pays, or enters into engagements to pay, to the minister and the
influential men at Court, as much as they think he can be made to
pay, in bribes, and some half of that sum into the Treasury, and have
all the rest struck out of the accounts as irrecoverable--perhaps two
lacs in bribes, and one to the Treasury may secure him an
acquittance, and a fair chance of employment hereafter. His real name
is Wajid Allee; but as that is the name of the King, he is commonly
called Ahmud Allee, that the royal ears may not take offence.
_December_ 26, 1849.--Pertabghur, distance eight miles. In the course
of fourteen years, almost all signs of one of the most healthful and
most agreeable cantonments of the Bengal army have been effaced. Fine
crops of corn now cover what were the parades for cavalry, infantry,
and artillery, and the gardens and compounds of officers' bungalows.
The grounds, which were once occupied by the old cantonments, are now
let out to cultivators, immediately under Government, and they are
well cultivated; but the tillage of the rest of the country we have
this morning passed over is scanty and slovenly.
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