AND PRACTICES OF THE HINDUS. 349 



rnerly. No information has reached me of the repe- 

 tition of this practice in Benares, or of the existence 

 of it in any other part of the Company's poffeffions ; 

 nor is it pretended that it was ever general through- 

 out Benares , but is expressly asserted to have beer* 

 limited to a very fmall portion of that extensive pro- 

 vince. 



This last mentioned fact is very opposite to that 

 humanity and mildness of disposition by which the 

 author of the historical disquisition, regarding ancient 

 and modern India > affirms the inhabitants of this coun- 

 try to have been distinguished in every age. As a 

 general position, liable to particular exceptions, I am 

 not authorized to dispute it : but it must at the same 

 time be admitted, that individuals in India are often 

 irritated by petty provocations to the commission of 

 acts which no provocation can justify ; and, without 

 reference to the cdnduct of professed depredators, 

 examples may be produced of enormities scarcely 

 credible : the result of vindictive pride, and ungo- 

 verned violence of temper. 



In support of these assertions, I shall quote three 

 remarkable instances, attested by unquestionable evi- 

 dence. In 1791 Sood 1 shter Mi kk& Brahmen, the far- 

 mer of land paying revenue and tenant of tax free land 

 in the province of Benares, was summoned to appear 

 before a native officer, the deputy collector of the dis- 

 trict where he resided. He positively refused to obey 

 thefummons, which was repeated without effect; and 

 after some time several people were deputed to enforce 

 the process, by compelling his attendance. On their 



approaching 



