THE ABOEIGINAL TEIBES. 163 



larger number of them than there are to exist in their wild 

 state. In the great areas of unculturable waste their remnants 

 must probably continue to exist much as they are, struggling 

 for a livelihood with the beasts of the forest. But much of 

 their country is also capable of clearance and permanent 

 tillage. In this work the aboriginal will, as hitherto, be the 

 necessary pioneer. Must he also, as hitherto, clear the wastes 

 only to resign them when ready for permanent settlement to 

 the occupation of the Hindu races ? Can we not now hope 

 to secure to him some of the permanent fruits of his own 

 toil ? Legislation has never yet enabled an inferior to stand 

 before a superior race ; but it has frequently done much to put 

 a weapon in the hands of the aggressors without which the 

 invaded might have held their own. There are Haws in our law 

 relating to the occupation of land, and to the legal enforce- 

 ment of obligations, which, it may be feared, arm the Hindti 

 irresistibly against the aborigine. None but a capitalist can 

 now practically occupy the waste lands so as to secure a legal 

 proprietary title ; and the aborigine never has such capital as 

 would enable him to do so. The rules for the occupation of 

 the wastes, given in Appendix B, will sufficiently explain 

 this. 



Again, our administration of civil justice, while perhaps 

 sufficiently suited to the requirements of settled districts, is 

 practically a negation of all justice to the aborigine in his 

 jungle. The courts sit at distant stations ; and in the Central 

 Provinces there is even a rule prohibiting the trial of cases by 

 civil officers on tour, unless both parties live on the spot. It 

 wants only the slightest acquaintance with the timid and 

 suspicious aborigine to see that this really amounts to denying 

 him a hearing altogether. He will never come in to the station 

 if he can avoid it by any payment within his means to make, 



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