29 



When they have met with such losses from the death of cattle 

 or other cause, it is impossible to repair them without assist- 

 ance from Takavi." By 1854, however, the condition of the 

 ryots in this district had considerably improved. The orders 

 of the Court of Directors allowing to the ryots the full benefits 

 of the improvements to land carried out by them at their own 

 expense had led to the construction of substantial wells and 

 the increase of the produce of lands irrigated by them. The 

 cultivation of indigo had increased and the poorer ryots had 

 been assisted by advances by European firms and thus freed 

 from the clutches of usui'ious money-lenders. Sir Thomas 

 Munrojestimated the value of indigo exported in 1805 from 

 the Ceded districts at Es. 4,37,500. The exports in 1851 from 

 the Cuddapah district alone were valued at Es. 13,75,182, 

 notwithstanding the fact that the price of indigo had decreased 

 considerably since 1805. The cultivation of sugarcane had 

 also considerably increased, the exports of jaggery in 1851 

 amounting to 11 lakhs of maunds. The trade of the district 

 was, however, much hampered by want of roads. The Col- 

 lector writes in 1852 : " At present the journey to Madras is 

 dreaded by the ryots, and they object to allow their cattle to be 

 employed in conveying indigo and other produce to the Presi- 

 dency where it is required for shipment to Europe. The small 

 number of carts and the heavy rate for carriage together 

 with the small quantity that can be placed on the loaded cart 

 on account of the badness of the road act as a prohibition to 

 the export of the various kinds of oil-seeds, &c., which would 

 find a ready market in the ports of the sea coast. In the 

 neighbourhood of the Presidency I am informed that 50 or 55 

 maunds (of 25 lb.) is the usual cart-load, whilst here, with good 

 bullocks, under 40 can only be placed in a cart. The hire 

 per gow of 10 miles in the south is 8 annas, whilst here not 

 less than 10 annas is accepted and they demand often 1 rupee. 

 The hii-e from Cuddapah to Madras has of late been as high 

 as 20 and 24 rupees which raises the hire of cart per gow to 

 the exorbitant sum of about Es. 1-8-0, nearly tripling the 

 current rate in the south." In the Bellary district, on the 

 other hand, the ryots had made no progress. The incidence of 

 the land revenue assessments, notwithstanding Sir Thomas 

 Munro's reductions, continued, owing to the heavy fall in the 

 prices of produce, oppressive, while this district enjoyed no 

 special advantages like Cuddapah in regard to good subsoil 

 water-supply, and extension of indigo cultivation. Mr. 

 Me]lor, the Collector, reported in 1845 : "The universal com- 

 plainlj and request of the ryots is to be allowed to reduce their 

 farms, a, convincing proof that cultivation is not profitable. 



