1865.] Notes of a tour in the Tributary Mehals. 29 



beyond a fine imposed at the time, and engagements taken for the 

 security of the roads from Mirzapore, Benares and Gya to the capital 

 of Nagpore, no proofs of submission were exacted. 



In the year 1792, Sirgoojah first engaged the attention of the British 

 Government, in consequence of its Rajah Ajeet Singh having invaded 

 and taken possession of Burway, a Pergunnah of Chota-Nagpore. At 

 the requisition of the Governor- General, the Rajah of Berar interposed; 

 but ineffectually, as about this time, on the death of Ajeet Singh, his 

 third brother Lall Sungram Singh usurped the chieftainship, murdered 

 Ajeet Singh's "widow, and not only retained possession of Burway, but 

 assisted a rebellion in Palamow against the British Government. This 

 led to an expedition into Sirgoojah under Col. Jones by order of 

 Marquis Wellesley, which resulted in the restoration of Burway to 

 Chota-Nagpore, and Sirgoojah itself became a dependency of the 

 British empire by treaty with Appa Sahib in 1818. 



Sirgoojah has not been surveyed, and it is therefore impossible 

 to give its area with any degree of accuracy. It is about 90 

 miles from east to west and 80 from north to south ; is divided into 26 

 tuppahs and contains 1197 villages, and according to a return of 

 houses made some years ago, a population of 1,30,000, one hundred 

 and thirty thousand souls. About one-sixth of the whole are of 

 the Gour tribe : the Khairwars, Kawrs, Kisan Rajwars, Kore- 

 wahs and Coles number from 5000 to 7000 each : there are about 2000 

 Bhooyas, and about as many of the hill tribe found in greater numbers 

 further west, called Boyars : the remainder of the population are for the 

 most part Sudras. The ruling race, Rajpoots, number only 505 souls, 

 and there are only 369 Brahmins. 



Of the Gours, I have already observed that they are the same as the 

 Gonds of the south. Of this there can be no doubt, as we find amongst 

 the Gours of Oodeypore and Sirgoojah, blood relations of the Gonds 

 down south ; and they intermarry. It is only a different way of pro- 

 nouncing the name of the tribe. They have always I believe been 

 considered as amongst the aboriginal races of India, but in Sirgoojah 

 and Oodeypore they are completely Hinduised, retaining neither the 

 language nor any other characteristic of their own race. 



The Kaurs and Korewahs have already been disposed of ; the 

 Coles must have a chapter to themselves ; the characteristics of 



