278 SEVENTH REPORT—1837. 
very ancient, for I saw remains of such mills in the ruins 
of Pompeii, and one nearly perfect in the ruins of the Roman 
villa of Sir William Hickes’s estate near Cheltenham, Glouces- 
tershire. 
Raw Sugar Mill.—Under the head of agriculture it will be 
necessary to speak of the Gool, or raw sugar-mill. Sugar 
cane is not so much cultivated as it might be, and it is seldom 
found but at populous villages. I have seldom seen more 
than two mills at a village; and as the screws and accom- 
paniments are somewhat expensive for the circumstances of a 
cultivator, the mills are seldom found belonging to him, but 
he is a renter of them for the term requisite. The mills are 
in the open air, and consist of two vertical screws which are 
sunk in a square chamber excavated in the earth; one of them 
is moved by a double lever so much elevated above the level 
of the field as to admit of bullocks being attached to the ends 
of the lever. The cattle go round incessantly in a circle and 
work the mill. The bits of sugar cane are passed twice be- 
tween the screws, and the juice runs out into a wooden or 
copper vessel placed to receive it. The fire-place (Choo- 
langun) and great iron pan (Kurhuee), to boil the juice in, are 
close at hand; a ladle to stir and skim the juice as it boils, 
and some circular holes in the ground to receive the juice 
when sufficiently thick, complete the material and close the 
process. The work is continued night and day till the cane- 
field is exhausted. Sugar is not refined in the Dukhun, 
Oil Mills.—Although the oil mills belong to a class of per- 
sons who are not agriculturists, the Koonbee is quite depend- 
ent on them to turn his numerous oil seeds to account ; some 
mention therefore of them is necessary under “ agriculture.” 
The body of the mill is generally of stone, and the machinery, 
even when of the rudest construction, shows a good deal of 
ingenuity and an acquaintance with some of the mechanic 
powers. It is entirely the work of the village carpenter. 
At Neelsee, a Kohlee village in the wilds on the brink of 
the Ghats, the body of the mill is of wood, the lever works in 
the hollow of an upright cylinder, and by the great weight at- 
tached to its upper end constantly presses against the sides of 
the hollow and forces the oil from the seed which is put into 
the mill. The whole expense of the machinery of this particular 
mill was only five rupees *. In the Desh the body of the mill 
is of stone, the machinery is the same as in this mill. It is 
worked by a bullock. 
Average Size of Farms.—There are not any farms of large 
* About ten shillings. 
