282 SEVENTH REPORT—1837. 
rebellions, and the destructive anarchy which have so fre- 
quently disgraced the annals of India. 
A certain number of villages constituted a Naikwuree, over 
which was an officer with the denomination of Naik. Ejighty- 
four villages constituted a Deshmookee, over which was an 
officer called a Deshmook, or governor,* possibly equivalent 
to our lord-lieutenant of counties; this officer was assisted by 
a Desh Chowgulla; and for the branch of accounts there was 
a Deshpandeh or district accountant and register. The links 
connecting the Deshmooks with the prince were Sur-Desh- 
mooks, or heads of the Deshmooks; they were few in number. 
It is said there were also Sur-Deshpandehs. The Sur-Desh- 
mooks, Deshmooks, and their assistants, Naiks, Pateels, and 
Chowgullahs, indeed all persons in authority, were Mahrattas; 
the writers and accountants were mostly Brahmans. Such 
was the state of things under the ancient Hindoo govern- 
ments. The Moosulmans on their conquest, in the civil di- 
visions of the country, introduced the terms of Soobeh (a 
province), Pergunnah (county), Tallook (manor, lordship), 
and Turruff (a division of a county). The Hindoo hereditary 
officers were deprived of their authority, (excepting those in 
the village constitution,) but, very liberally, they were not de- 
prived of their tenures; and their places were supplied by 
Zemindars,t Maamlutdars, Sheristehdars, Havaildars, &c. 
I have stated that the family estates were called Thuls, 
from the Sanscrit Sthul, ‘firm land;” and in case the family 
became extinct or Gutkool, from the Sanscrit Gut, ‘ gone, 
passed away,” and Kool, ‘‘a race or family,” the property did 
did not pass to the sovereign, but it was at the disposal of the 
Pateel solely, or the village corporation conjointly, to do as 
they pleased with it; and I have multiplied proofs in my pos- 
session of freeholds having been created in such estates of 
extinct families, by letters of inheritance, called Meeras Putra, 
which were granted by the Pateel or village authorities for a 
sum of money; and such letters became title-deeds, similar to 
those of an estate in England. The law of succession by pri- 
mogeniture not obtaining amongst the Hindoos, these estates 
* Called also Desaee or Deshaee in some parts. 
+ Mistakes, very serious in their consequences, have been made with 
respect to the supposed rights of Zemindars. They were introduced by the 
Moosulmans, superseding the ancient Hindoo Deshmooks and Desaees, and 
were government officers for the collection of the revenue, and for the civil 
government of districts. In Bengal, the British considered them proprietors 
of the soil, and constituted them as great freeholders; sweeping away the vil- 
lage freeholds. 
