214 Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal. {N.S., XV, 
article on Chaurasis wrote :—‘‘It is extremely doubtful 
‘whether the Chaurasis enumerated in the text did always 
“consist of exactly 84 villages. In the cases of which I have 
“had personal cognizance I have had reason to doubt the 
“‘fact. I think the most reasonable supposition is that, as the 
“territories of some powerful clans did really contain 84 
* villages, it grew to be a habit with others who had a large 
“ settlement in one place, to call it a Chaurasi also.” 
28. As for Chhattisgarh and the neighbouring territories, 
a very slight acquaintance with the tract and a knowledge of 
the frequency with which villages in this backward country 
are, even to-day, established and abandoned, would suffice t 
convince one that the number Chawrasi was a mere approxi- 
mation ; and in the Rewah Gazetteer, quoted above in Chapter 
III, it is expressly stated that “ Chawrasi was the most common 
convention of naming Parganas.” Iam prepared to go so far 
be shown in Chapter VII, the system of Garhs and Barhons was 
Barhons was not, either in the first instance or at any later 
stage, an essential feature of the local territorial system. That 
System was aboriginal and indigenous. The nomenclature was 
arsificial, a foreign importation of a later date. 
Sangram Sa ruled over 52 Garhs or Districts. A list of the 52 
Garhs is included in the History and the number of villages 
comprised in each Garh is entered against itsname. No fewer 
