170 THE HIGHLANDS OF CENTRAL INDIA. 



its decizens, instead of the poisonous liquor "which 

 was fast hurrying them to destruction. Their contact 

 with the Hindu races was Ions: to them nothing: but 

 a curse ; but there is now a creneral as:reement of 

 opinion that of late thej have been fast improving, 

 both in well-being and in character, Where they still 

 continue to work as farm-servants they receive better 

 wages, and save something out of them ; and, either 

 from such savin es or from their large earninojs on 

 the railway works, many have found the means to 

 settle down as small farmers on their own account. 

 Even as borrowers their credit is much improved, A 

 great deal of capital is now seeking the profitable 

 investment ofi'ered by agriculture ; and loans are given 

 on easier terms even to these still somewhat unreliable 

 settlers. " The high price obtainable for oil-seeds of 

 late years has perhaps done more towards this than 

 anything else. It takes a mere handful of seed to 

 sow an acre of tillee (sesamum) ; it flourishes with 

 the rudest tillage on half-cleared land, for which no 

 rent is usually paid for the first three years ; and 

 it is cut and sold by the beginning of Xovember. 

 I know two 'unencumbered' Korkiis who in 1867 

 cleared thirty acres of light land, and sowed it with 

 tillee. They borrowed 80 rupees (£8) to buy bullocks 

 and implements, and two manees (1,920 lb.) oi jowaree 

 (millet) to eat. The interest on the money-debt was 

 20 rupees, and, as usual, double the quantity of grain 

 had to be paid back at harvest. They had no other 

 expenses, no rent being charged, and they themselves 

 doing all the labour. The produce was 75 maunds 

 (6,150 lb,) of oil-seed, which sold for 215 rupees 

 (i*21 10^,), from which they repaid the 80 rupees' worth 



