22 MODE OF HUNTING. 



and sufficiency of food is assured to thousands who have no desire beyond; 

 whilst land-holders, who from their caste or position may be unable to work 

 themselves, obtain a hold upon what would otherwise be a very unreliable 

 class of servants. Jeetagars who have been many years in families are 

 frequently treated more as sons than servants. On the occasion of mar- 

 riages or other rejoicings they are not forgotten. Good masters not infre- 

 quently free the jeetagars, should the latter desire it, after some years of 

 approved service, without payment of the original debt. It is not uncommon 

 for jeetagars to continue for generations in the same family. It is a remark- 

 able fact that their remuneration is exactly what it used to be as far back 

 as can be traced, though the ordinary rates of labour in the country have 

 advanced considerably of late years. May not this be regarded as an indica- 

 tion of the favour with which this vassalage is regarded by the agricultural 

 labourer ? 



The arrangement for wdra, or half-share cultivating, is as follows : — 



The owner of the land pays the Government assessment (the average 

 rate in Mysore is about two shillings per acre for unirrigated fields and 

 twelve shillings for irrigated land), gives half the manure required, furnishes 

 the seed grain, and contributes half the expenses of reaping and threshing. 

 The cultivator (waragar) uses his own plough and bullocks, gives his labour 

 and half the manure, pays for the weedings of the crop (necessary in India), 

 the mid-day meals of the reapers, and half the threshing expenses. The 

 produce is then equally divided between owner and waragar. Should the 

 owner not give half the manure, all the straw goes to the waragar. 



Living on the borders of the jungle amongst the game, the Morlayites 

 have for generations applied themselves to hunting. They have no guns, 

 only spears and nets. They have strict caste rules on the subject, and 

 maintain excellent discipline in their hunts. Each house has to supply a 

 man with a net and spear when big game is followed, and a net and cudgel 

 in hare -hunting. Their nets are of two kinds, — the first for tigers, bears, 

 deer, &c. ; and the second for small game. They are both made of home- 

 grown hemp (jute, Crotolarea juncea), and are manufactured by themselves. 

 The large nets are made of rope as thick as a finger, and are forty feet long 

 and twelve deep, with a mesh large enough to admit a man's head. The 

 small-game nets are of twine, and are one hundred and eighty feet long and 

 four deep, with a mesh to admit a small fist. 



With fifty to a hundred of these nets, large or small, a considerable 

 extent of country can be enclosed. Whether deer or pig with large nets, 

 or hares, mouse-deer, or porcupines with the small nets, are hunted, the 

 plan pursued is to support the nets on upright light props across the line of 



