His
successor restored both Seodut and the widow, Golab Kour, to their
estates, on their own terms, after trying in vain to arrest them.]
While Dursun Sing, and his brother, Bukhtawar, held the contract of
Salone, the estate was put under management, and yielded one hundred
and seventy-four thousand rupees a-year, out of which they allowed a
deduction, on account of nankar, or subsistence, of some twenty
thousand. The Rajah and Bukhtawar Sing urge that this was, for the
most part, paid out of the property left by Byree Saul, to whom
Himmut Sing succeeded; and that the estate can now be made to yield
only one hundred and sixteen thousand, from which is to be deducted a
nankar of forty thousand. They offer him a deduction of this forty
thousand, out of a rent-roll rated at one hundred and thirty
thousand; and threaten him with the vengeance of his Majesty if he
refuses. He looks at their military force and smiles. The agents of
all the tallookdars, who are in attendance on the Nazim, do the same.
They know that they are strong, and see that the Government is weak,
and they cease to respect its rights and orders. They see at the same
time that the Government and its officers regard less the rights than
the strength of the landholders; and, from fear, favour the strong
while they oppress and crush the weak.*
[* Rajah Hunmunt Sing afterwards brought the contractor to consent to
take the same rate as had been paid to his predecessor; but he was
obliged to pay above six thousand rupees in gratuities.
Pages:
368
369
370
371
372
373
374
375
376
377
378
379
380
381
382
383
384
385
386
387
388
389
390
391
392