1840.] The Hodesum (improperly called Kolehan). 805 



to fill up from neglect. Being an undulating country, their rice 

 cultivation is restricted to nullahs and water-courses, over which they 

 form fields, by choking up the stream with soil brought from the 

 '' Tarn," or upland, a process of infinite toil. An inferior kind of rice, 

 '' Gora dhan," is sown in the uplands, and the jungle tribes cultivate 

 the hills up to their summits with cotton, moong, oorid, chunna, til, 

 surgoojia, tobacco, &c. ; such common esculents as the jingee, khukra, 

 cucumber, pumpkin, maize, and baugun, are grown in their villages ; 

 also vast quantities of the castor oil tree, of the kut'hul, or * jack*, and 

 mangoe trees, which the Surawuks planted in numbers, but few 

 now remain. The Hos prize much more the tamarind, which is met 

 with in every village, and grows in great luxuriance. 



Vast quantities of the Tusser worm are reared in the " Assun" jun- 

 gles throughout the country, the proprietors of which preserve them 

 with great jealousy and care. The cocoons are sold to bead merchants, 

 who come annually to barter them in return for necklaces. The silk is 

 manufactured at Serykela, Bankoorah, and Medneepoor, that from the 

 former being most prized. In tending the young worms, much the 

 same ceremonies are gone through as by the people in the Sunderbunds ; 

 fasting, continence, and cleanliness, being considered indispensable. 

 The Hos travel all the way to Poory for the sake of purchasing salt ; 

 they are allowed to bring it laden on bullocks through Kewnjur, by 

 paying toll ; but in passing through Baumenghattee, a nearer and bet- 

 ter road, salt on bullocks is seized and confiscated by the Mohenbunj 

 Raja. Bangy loads are however suffered to pass on payment of some 

 douceur. There is no Government gola nearer than Medneepoor or 

 Bankoorah. 



Vast numbers of cattle are bred in the country ; the Hos do not 

 tend them themselves, but deliver them over to Gwallas, with whom 

 they keep little account, until the cattle are required as payment 

 on marriage occasions. The latter accordingly make a good thing 

 of their charge, selling the milk and ghee, and often the cattle 

 themselves. Great quantities of the latter, and also of bufllaloes, are 

 sold to Tamarias for the most trifling prices, besides numbers stolen 

 or swindled away by their customers, who are notorious cheats 

 and robbers. In former times, when the Hos used to make '' Raids" 

 over the borders, and harry the cattle of their neighbours, these little 



