Nothing can be more wretched
than the appearance of the buildings in which the people of all
grades live in these villages--mud walls without any appearance of
coverings, and doors and windows worse than I have seen in any other
part of India. Better would not be safe against the King's troops,
and these would certainly not be safe against a slight storm; a good
shower and a smart breeze would level the whole of the villages with
the ground in a few hours. "But," said the people, "the mud would
remain, and we could soon raise up the houses again without the aid
of masons, carpenters, or blacksmiths." It is enough that they are
used to them.
Morowa is a large town, well situated and surrounded with groves of
the finest trees in great variety; and, to the surprise of the
officers with me, they saw a respectable house of burnt brick. It
belongs to the most substantial banker and agricultural capitalist in
these parts, _Chundun Lal_. These capitalists and their families are,
generally, more safe than others, as their aid is necessary to the
Government and its officers, and no less so to the landholders,
cultivators, and people of all classes. Their wealth consists in
their credit in different parts of India; and he who has most of it
may have little at his house to tempt the robber, while the
Government officers stand generally too much in daily need of his
services and mediation to molest him.
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