THE KHOND HIGHLANDS. 249 



to be; called, would thus be able to 

 support themselves ; but the experiment 

 was not a success. The little community 

 consisted of. persons bred up in idleness 

 and trained to ; be helpless, and they 

 continued helpless and dependent, their 

 agriculture did not prosper, and they 

 were never > able to pay the trifling 

 assessment which in the hope of stimu- 

 lating their industry had been imposed 

 upon their fields. 



The special agency by the time its 

 functions terminated had acquired much 

 useful information, and had : become 

 intimately acquainted with the country 

 inhabited . by the ; Khonds, extending 

 from the . Mahanuddi on its , northern 

 border to the hills of the independent 

 Sourahs behind Mahendra, and from 



