GOVERNMENT — CASTES. 239 



native princes, who have retained or recovered a certain 

 degree of power, exercise a prerogative uncontrolled by any 

 established rights or privileges. The only check has been 

 one of a very irregular kind, arising from the turbulent 

 sway of the inferior chiefs, whose influence over their im- 

 mediate vassals is frequently exerted to support their own 

 authority, which is not less absolute. Still, amid this cor- 

 rupting despotism, traces are found of a system purely re- 

 publican, existing in the villages which, overall India, have 

 an interior constitution entirely distinct from the general 

 rule to which the country at large is subjected. 



A village, or rather township, is formed by a community 

 occupying a certain extent of land, the boundaries of which 

 are carefully fixed, though often disputed. Sometimes it is 

 cultivated by the united labour of the inhabitants ; but more 

 usually each ploughs his separate field, leaving always a 

 large portion of common. Assignments of land are also 

 made to various functionaries, who are charged with import- 

 ant public services. The principal personage is the potail, 

 or head-man, who acts as judge and magistrate, and treats 

 respecting the village affairs with other communities, or with 

 the national rulers. Other duties are intrusted to the 

 registrar, the watchman, the distributer of water, the as- 

 trologer, smith, carpenter, potter, barber, washerman, and 

 silversmith. Whatever change the supreme authority in 

 the kingdom may undergo, into whatever hands it may pass 

 by inheritance, usurpation, or force of arms, whether its 

 rulers be native or foreign, the peculiar constitution of each 

 township remains unaltered ; no revolutions affect it, no 

 conquest changes it. Even when an overwhelming inva- 

 sion or desolating inroad has compelled its members to leave 

 their native seats, and to spend long years in exile, upon the 

 first dawn of tranquillity they hasten back, and resume 

 without resistance or dispute their ancient inheritance. 

 These numerous republics, maintained in the vicinity of a 

 powerful despotism, have doubtless contributed largely to 

 the prosperity which India has enjoyed. Yet they are too 

 much scattered to exercise any permanent check on the ab- 

 solute power of the princes and chieftains who dispute 

 amflng themselves the mastery of that extensive region. 



The next grand feature, and one now peculiar to India, con- 

 sists in the division of the people into castes . an institution 



