236 Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal. [N.S., XV, 
jurisdiction as territorial units (the Chaurasi and the Barhon), 
and to the promotion of these chiefs to be something more than 
Thakurs. But we may be certain that there was no wholesale 
expulsion of any ited tribe. This was not feasible if the Raj- 
puts had desired it. Even when the Marathas conquered 
Chhattisgarh in the 18th century they retained the local chief- 
tains in all parts of the country where tribal conditions still . 
prevailed. They were compelled to do so. Still more must 
this have been ‘the case with the Rajput invaders 800 vears 
before 
It was in these early days of Rajput rule that we would 
expect to find the territorial system of divisions most complete 
—the whole country being regularly divided among the local 
chieftains of whom the great majority were the natural leaders 
of the local tribes. Chhattisgarh in fact was at a stage of 
development which was still visible in the Bastar State a cen- 
tury ago. In an old letter of 18-3-1821 Major Vans Agnew 
writes: ‘‘ Bastar was originally divided into forty-eight Zamin- 
daries ' but seven or eight of these have been dismembered and 
‘are now annexed to other states. The Zamindars each pay a 
“rent long since established and which does not vary. They 
‘exercise an almost unlimited authority within their respective 
si oases but are subject to the Rajah in all that refers to the 
“* general — of the State. At present they are all obedient 
** to his order. 
CHAPTER VIII. 
CHHATTISGARH IN THE 16TH CENTURY. 
66. 
Century of the Christian Era was recor ded, appare ntly in con- 
ave now entirely disappeared. Captain Blunt in 1795 A.D. 
made efforts to secure copies of these during his stay in Ratanpur 
but without success. The Brahmins of the place gave him a 
very scanty and inaccurate account of the Rajput dynasty and 
‘“‘ more their memory or papers could not furnish ”’ though they 
admitted that “the whole might be attained by reference to 
wee which were now difficult to be found.” Blunt con- 
inues : “‘ Upon my expressing much solicitude to possess them 
si they ‘told me that they doubted if there were any in Ruttun- 
1 This subdivision is confirmed by Capt. Blunt in whose Narrative 
under the fate April 7th, 1795 A.D., we read that ‘‘ The Bustar Raja 
oo o and his son Peerkissen Deo are very treacherous an 
** powerful, having possession of a great extent of territory, divided into 
** forty-eight Purgunnahs,” 
