Ill 



than the varying- opinions of settlement authorities 

 are likely to be, if it be desired that the land tenure 

 of the whole country shall ever be placed on that 

 solid basis, the singularly important relation it bears 

 to the revenues of the State, demands. 



And if the present age is at fault in regard to 

 some of the links of such a chain of evidence as 

 would enable us to trace back the history of proprie- 

 tary rights to their first origin, in India we are not 

 altogether helpless. We have Institutes older than 

 Justinian's, and the advantage of having conquered 

 conquerors with a good code of laws, which, if never 

 fully in force, have furnished the ruling idea, and 

 hence the guiding principles in disputed points, for 

 many centuries. 



Hindoo Law, it is true, is not always very clear 

 on any point ; but the following extracts will afford 

 some insight into the views of Indian law-givers f/ 

 regarding rights of occupancy and property in the 

 soil : 



Nerasinha purana. " Thrice seven times exter- // 

 minating the military tribe, PARASU KAMA gave the j j 

 Earth to CASYAPA, as a gratuity for the sacrifice of 

 a horse." 



On which the Commentator remarks. 



" By CONQUEST, the earth became the property of 

 the holy PARASU RAMA ; by GIFT, the property of 

 the sage CASYAPA ; and, committed by him to 

 Cshatriyas for the sake of protection, became their 

 protective property successively held by powerful 



