40 The Amlahs. 



which takes the various forms of salami, or loot. 

 Of a truth these middle-men are not worth their keep. t 



The tokdars are in charge of sections of the zillah, 

 which may range in extent from 30 or 40 to 1 50 or 

 200 bighas ; such sections are called toks, literally 

 divisions, and are cultivated, sown, and the plant cut 

 by hired labour on the ticca (jobwork) system, the 

 tokdars receiving advances, at fixed rates, from the 

 factory. These men are directly under the jamadar, 

 and are in receipt of small pay, so that they find it 

 necessary to eke out their existence by petty extor- 

 tions of all kinds. A favourite dodge with the tokdar 

 is to measure his work with a large luggi measuring 

 rod ; thus making the work done by the hired labourer 

 come out considerably less than, by the proper fac- 

 tory luggi, it actually is. He sometimes contrives it 

 so that his " mate " turns up late of a morning with 

 the weeding or other coolies, when the wretches are 

 made to work double-tides, but are informed in the 

 evening that they shall expiate their fault of the 

 morning by receiving half wage. The factory-rates 

 being generally pretty liberal, the tokdar, in the above 

 and many other ways, succeeds in at least doubling 

 his pay in any month. 



The youngster would do well to remember that 

 all natives are most correct and acute judges of 

 character. Indeed, it is not too much to say that 



