ON THE STATISTICS OF DUKHUN. 291 
by the government post. Occasionally the answer to my in- 
quiries respecting the duties of the Mahrs was, that they were . 
to do every thing they were ordered, whether by the Pateel, 
the village corporation, or by the government. There are 
many families of them in every village: in some villages they 
have to pay a tax to government called Rabta Mahr, and this 
is in lieu of personal service in cutting wood and grass for the 
officers of government, but it does not absolve them from their 
other duties. So strictly is it their province to cut wood and 
grass, that their signature to all village or public documents is 
a sickle or hatchet to cut grass and wood, and a rope to tie 
them up. In addition to their Eenam lands, the Mahrs, in virtue 
of their office as one of the Bara Bullooteh or twelve village 
officers, craftsmen, and professions, receive fees in kind from 
all the cultivators; the fee in kind is a per centage upon the 
produce, but it is not uniform in amount throughout the Duk- 
hun. These twelve village officers are divided into three 
classes, according to the supposed importance of their services 
to the village; the first class in some villages received 50, the 
second 20, and the third 10 or 15 bundles or sheaves of Joaree, 
(Andropogon sorghum,) stalk and grain included upon every 
1000 cut down; and the same proportion of other grains. 
Many farmers in various parts of the country assured me that 
they put by 25 per cent. of their produce for the village crafts- 
men and professions ; and as the Mahrs from their usefulness 
share in all those classes, their returns must be considerable ; 
the individual benefit depending of course upon the magnitude 
of the body constituting this class of persons in the village. 
_ As low casts do not cultivate their Eenam lands, they derive 
less advantage from them than other Eenamdars, but make 
the best terms they can with the Koonbees to cultivate their 
| lands and fees, 
_ lands for them. The Mahr does not pay any tax to govern- 
_ ment upon his Bullooteh. In the whole of the duties of the 
_ Mahrs, whether for government, the village, or individuals, 
_ they are not bound to go beyond the village next to their 
_ own; here they hand over their charge and return.* 
_ Bara Bullooteh Tenure.—The twelve craftsmen or pro- 
fessions which were originally in every village were, the Sootar 
(Carpenter), Chambar (Shoemaker), Zohar (Ironsmith), and 
Mahr ; these constituted the Torlee Khas or first class. In 
the Mudlee Khas, or second class, were the Pureet (Washer- 
ba man), Koombar (Pot-maker), Nahwee (Barber), and Maang 
_* In speaking of the duties of the Mahrs I ought to have used the past 
_ tense instead of the present in some cases, government having partly absolved 
them from duties, the performance of which is their tenure for holding their 
U2 
