1841.] Roree in Khypoor. 409 



mediately opposite to them. The land owner mentioned above, gives the 

 Shekhree who attends every morning to sweep his house, one rupee a 

 month, and he earns altogether about four rupees a month. There are 

 no sweepers or other public servants maintained at the charge of the city, 

 but four or ten shopkeepers have a watchman between them to guard their 

 property at night, and each pays him two annas (three pence) a month. 

 The guard is not, I should suppose, very active, as he usually labours 

 all day at another vocation. 



Bankers and merchants live out of the Bazar in another quarter of the 

 town and take with them sufficient money for their daily transactions, 

 and lock up their shops at night, and carry away their money bags. 

 There are two great Suhokar or merchants. Khooba, who has four 

 Gomushtus, and Jeo. Both are inhabitants of Roree, and Hindoos of the 

 Bhata caste from Marwar. Ench is said to be worth two lacks of rupees. 



The principal bankers (shurraf) are Tara, Koondun, and Tikyn also 

 Bhatas. Tara is reputed to be worth two or three lacks of rupees, 

 Koondun about two lacks, and Tikyn between three and four lacks of 

 rupees. Tara has the most business and his credit and respectability 

 stand high in the estimation of his countrymen and foreigners. 



The Bunneahs of Roree deal in grain, tobacco, oil, groceries, spices, 

 sugar, and fruit, and realise larger profits than any other class of trades- 

 men. Their daily receipts average from ten to twenty rupees and some 

 in the British camp take as much as forty rupees. Grain and other 

 articles brought from the country, are weighed before they are offered 

 for sale by the Mookhee or chief of the trade, who is entitled to a seer 

 in every mun. 



The Bunneahs choose the Mookhee from their body by a majority of 

 votes, and he is not precluded carrying on business on his own account 

 in the usual way. They treat him with respect and submit all important 

 questions for his decision. Instances have occurred of the towns- 

 people ill-treating the Mookhee, and the Bunneahs closed their shops 

 and refused to sell grain until the culprit was brought to trial and 

 punished. He usually regulates the price current of grain, but the 

 Bunneahs can alter it without his concurrence. He transacts a good deal 

 of business for them and they reward him liberally. The Mookhee beats 

 with a shoe or stick a Bunneah convicted of cheating, using false weights, 

 or taking from a customer more than the market price of grain, but 

 he may undersell his neighbours if he pleases. If a case of fraud is 

 brought before the Governor, he levies a fine (wutr) of the delinquent 

 and places it at the credit of government. When a respectable Bunneah 



