352 



Report on the Island of Chtdooba. 



[No. 113. 



the produce of the land, and from a light poll (ax. There are no 

 difficulties found in its collection, nor oppression resorted to; about 25 

 per cent, is absorbed by the payment of the collectors, the ordinary 

 native authorities. The Soogree of each circle receives 20 per cent, on 

 his collection, the Ruagon or head villager, 4 per cent., and the Rua- 

 charee or Village clerk, assistant to the Ruagon, 1 per cent. These are 

 also exempted from ail taxes. 



Besides the above, there are two or more officers in each village called 

 Leedo-gongs, or heads of men, whose negative payment consists in ex- 

 emption from taxation. 



There is a native Police taken from among the people. Their duty 

 consists in maintaining peace and quiet among the villagers, for which 

 purpose some shady tree or bamboo clump is selected in the centre 

 of each village, supplied with a bench and sort of small hut, where day 

 and night, the Leedo-gong sleeps his watch. In fact in Chedooba his 

 office is a sinecure, theft or plunder are not known, the men are too 

 good humoured to quarrel, and I was told that the only call ever made 

 on him, was one only occasionally to settle the few little amiable dif- 

 ferences sometimes occurring among the ladies of his jurisdiction. 



At the Town of Chedooba there is a small Sepoy Police, their business- 

 is to keep up communication with Ramree the provincial capital, and 

 act as letter-men in the conveyance of orders, from the assistant com- 

 missioner there, to the different Soogrees. 



I subjoin the official Statistics of Chedooba, for 1839-40 or Mug 

 era 1202.— 



Names of Circles. 



Maoun,. . . 

 Moubreng, > 

 Kreroo, . . 

 Kyoukiam,' 

 Requiri, . . 

 Joungroa, . 

 Kama, . . . 



Total, 



Total of Souls 



£- s 



POPULATION. 



541 



531 

 361 

 295 

 124 



418 

 240 



469 

 461 

 315 

 276 

 120 

 353 

 209 



2,510 2,203 1,999 



1 

 R5 



446 

 417 

 215 

 278 

 106 

 317 

 190 



8,535 



S3 



404 

 377 

 245 

 222 

 110 

 285 

 179 



1,822 





^ 



Rs. 

 3,243 

 4,033 

 1,892 

 2,102 

 1,219 

 2,347 

 1,429 



16,269 





520 

 675 

 547 

 407 

 659 

 794 

 287 



3,889 





545 

 20S 

 187 

 121 



13 



59 



1,133 





-SO 



Doons. 

 160 

 226 



84 

 104 



75 

 115 



76 



844 



