Emigration from India. 49 



A scheme such as this would have to be looked at from a Coloniza- 

 tion standpoint, and not as a labour supply purely and simply, though 

 the end in view might be the same. 



As might be expected, hardly a week passed at Calcutta and Madras 

 but that applications were made for permission for persons to go over 

 the Depots in search of errant husbands, wives, sisters and brothers 

 Visits would occasionally also be paid by the Police for Indians who 

 were " wanted." 



The Different Kinds of Coolies. 



The coolies most sought after in Upper India are those from the 

 Orissa Bhagalpur and Chota Nagpur (more particularly the latter) divis- 

 ions of Bengal, but these are Prime favourites of the Tea Planters in 

 Assam and Cachar, and Emigration Agents for the Colonies could not, 

 on account of the huge commissions obtainable, compete with these latter 

 for them ; very black in colour and of rather negroid caste of feature, 

 they belong to the aboriginal tribes of Bengal and are considered the 

 most docile and hard-working coolies to be had. 



The United Provinces of Agra and Oudh have always provided the 

 Colonies with the bulk of the coolies recruited for them, at least 80% to 

 90/^ coming from this part of India, the principal districts supplying the 

 greatest number of emigrants being Basti, Gonda, Gorakhpur, Faizabad, 

 Allahabad and Cawnpur. Delhi used also to provide a fair proportion of 

 recruits, whose physical standard was invariably higher than any other 

 District, but on account of the trouble Punjaubees gave in the Colonies — 

 they are a truculent people — their recruitment was discontinued and the 

 Sub-Depots there closed. 



After the amalgamation— up to the end of 1915 — recruiting for Fij 

 used to be from January to May, followed by joint shipments to British 

 Guiana, Trinidad and Jamaica from then on. The early months of the 

 year are the best for recruiting purposes. 



Castes. 

 Excepting ex-policemen, ex-soldiers, Brahmins, Chatris, Rajputs, 

 Barbers, Dhobis, Nats, Banias, Fakirs, Punjabis, and coolies of any of the 

 non-agricultural castes, all other castes are recruited and have been sent 

 to the Colonies. The castes from which the greatest numbers have been 

 drawn are Ahirs (cow-minders) Chamars (dealers in skins) Kurinis 

 (Cultivators) Kahars (Carriers) Kumhars (Potters) Kewats (Cultivators 

 and boatmen) Lodhs (Cultivators) Muraos (Cultivators) Jats (Cultivators) 

 and Mallahs (Boatmen). Musselmen usually comprised about 20% of a 

 shipment, in addition. 



The average heights and weights of Indian coolies of both sexes 

 (Punjabis excluded) have been found to be : — 



Height. Weight. 



Men ... 5' 3" 8 stones, 12 lbs. 



Women ... 4' 9J" 7 stones 



