90 Major-General Sir J. Malcolm on the BhilU. 



occurred, since this tribe became subject to the British Government, we may 

 anticipate a gradual, and, ultimately, a complete, change in their character 

 and condition. The men, though habituated to a life of rapine, are not 

 sanguinary j and the females of the tribe, who possess great influence over 

 them,* are of kind dispositions : and many of them are intelligent and in- 

 dustrious. 



To reclaim this race (I speak from much reflection, and considerable ex- 

 perience), they must be treated with great attention to their prejudices 

 and condition. Reform with them, as with all such classes, must commence 

 with their superiors. We cannot break the link, by which they are at- 

 tached to their chiefs ; and if we could, it would not be wise, or desirable, 

 to do so. We must endeavour, by every act, to elevate the Bhills in the 

 community, and to raise them in their own esteem, or else we cannot suc- 

 ceed in altering their habits. We must, by making roads through their hills 

 and forests, by employing them in honest occupations, by establishing 

 markets for the produce of the tracts they inhabit, bring this race into daily 

 and familiar intercourse with those, among whom they live. When com- 

 pelled to punish their outrages, the punishment falls on the leader, and not 

 on the devoted follower, who executes a crime by his command. While 

 we use preventive means to check and eradicate their evil habits, we must 

 temper our firmness with mercy, taking care, however, that certain rules 

 should never be infringed, and that protection and punishment should be 

 alike certain, when merited. But above all, the object should be, to give 

 to this hitherto injured race, a stake in the general prosperity ; and then, 

 and not before, we may rest satisfied that they will become the defenders, 

 instead of the disturbers, of the general welfare. These are not idle specu- 

 lations. The system here recommended has been acted upon,t and the 



* The Dhill women have better habits than the men ; but, in justice to the latter, I must say, 

 that I have seen singular instances of affection, and attachment to their families. During the 

 pursuit of some Bhills, who had committed a robbery and murder, near Nalcha, their wives and 

 children were discovered, by the cries of a child hid in a cavern, under some rocks. They were 

 ijrought prisoners to me. I received them kindly, and having consulted with them what was 

 best to be done, to induce the men to submission, I adopted the suggestion of an elderly female, 

 wife of one of the principal men, and allowed several of the prisoners to join their fathers, and 

 husbands, with whom they soon returned ; and a very short negociation produced the uncondi- 

 tional surrender of the whole party. 



•j- Vide Central India, Vol. II. p. 179, &c. 



