THE ABOEIGINAL TEIBES. 155 



to strong potations. Badly off as the poor Gond was in the 

 hands of the agricultural money-lender, he was at least paid 

 in wholesome grain or hard coin ; but here the universal prac- 

 tice was to pay him in liquor, all except the pittance neces- 

 sary to keep body and soul together in the way of food and 

 raiment. Often the Kulars united the three trades, making 

 the Gond cultivate an autumn crop of grain for his own sub- 

 sistence and the trader's profit at a season when forest opera- 

 tions were impossible, exchanging his surplus grain for liquor 

 immediately after, until he had him deep in his books again, 

 and then sending him out to the forests to cut wood to repay 

 him, and to purchase back some of his own grain for subsist- 

 ence. He was clean done and cheated at every turn, having 

 to labour like a horse, and getting out of it nothing but a 

 scanty subsistence, and as much vile liquor as he could swal- 

 low without interfering too much with his working power. 

 This trade had become enormously profitable. The numbers 

 of the caste of Kulars, who alone can legitimately deal in 

 spirits, were limited ; and they soon were rolling in wealth. 

 A dissolute flaunting set by nature, they did no good with the 

 money they thus earned, spending it chiefly in gambling and 

 debauchery, and in loading themselves and their women with 

 massive golden ornaments. The evils of the system were in- 

 calculable. In his wild state the Gond or Korku has been 

 recognized to be truthful and honest, occasionally breaking 

 out into passion which might lead to violent crime, but free 

 from tendency to mean or habitual criminality. Now he be- 

 came a thief and a scoundrel. His craving for drink made 

 him a ready tool in the hands of every designing knave ; and 

 to the dangerous temper of the drunken savage he soon began 

 to add the viciousness of a debased and desperate character. 

 To the forests the injury was scarcely less. Having no im- 



