﻿FROM CHUNARGHUR TO YERTN AGOODUM. 109 



ways refraftory, and never paying any thing until 

 much time has been fpent in warfare, the refult is 

 often precarious, and the tribute confequently trivial. 

 I was next led to inquire what method was adopted by 

 the tenantry in collecting the revenue from the pea- 

 fants. They informed me that it invariably confifted 

 in taxing the ploughs, and was always delivered in the 

 produce of the lands ; as grain, oil, or cotton, ac- 

 cording to the fpecies of cultivation for which the im- 

 plements had been ufed. This confequently occafions 

 a vaft accumulation of the produce of the country to 

 the tenant ; and fome expedient becomes immediately 

 neceflary to convert it into fpecie to enable him to 

 pay his rent. 



■ The infecurity attending the traveller, in his pro- 

 perty and perfon, throughout molt of the native go- 

 vernments of India, and the privilege allowed to the 

 Zemeendars^ of taxing the merchants who pafs through 

 . their diftritts, is fo difcouraging to foreign traders, 

 that they are rarely feen, in the Mahratta territory, 

 employed in any other line of traffic than that of 

 bringing for fale a few horfes, elephants, camels, and 

 fhawls. All other branches of trade, both in exports 

 and imports, are under the immediate management of 

 fubjefts to the empire; under whofe proteftion, like- 

 wife, a numerous clafs of people, called Brinjaries, 

 carry on a continual traffic in grain, and every other 

 neceffary of life. By thefe, the largell armies are 

 frequently iupplied : but although much inland com- 

 merce is carried on in this way, it derives very little 

 encouragement from any regulations of the Mahratta 

 government, as to the improvement of roads, or any 

 thing to animate it ; and it is chiefly upheld' by the 

 Beceffity they are under of converting the produce of 

 the lands into fpecie; the Brivjarics purchafing the 

 grain at a moderate rate from the Zemeendars, and 

 retailing it again in thofe parts of the country, where 

 the poverty of the foil, or a temporary fcarcity, may 

 offer a ready market. Accordingly we find the 



Brinjary 



