1839.] Report on the District of Azimgurh. 117 



render as before all the usual service to A, whilst B might claim in 

 liquidation of the new debt, whatever else the Aheer might be able 

 to do. This decision was communicated to the parties ; the Aheer 

 was registered as A's Assamee, and all parties went away apparently 

 satisfied that the case had been fully heard. 



97th. There are however many varieties of this class. In propor- 

 tion as they are good cultivators, and raised above the menial castes, 

 they acquire by prescription, rights which at length become valuable. 

 The Keorees are an instance of this. They are by far the best cul- 

 tivators, and they excel in gardening. A Zemindar is always glad to 

 get some of them located in his village. He treats them liberally, 

 because they improve the ground by constantly manuring it, and 

 pay him high rates, and that punctually. Hence their cultivation is 

 never interferred with. They get as much as they like, and are allow- 

 ed to keep it as long as they will. The self-interest of the Zemindars 

 would always be sufficient to protect them, except against sallies of 

 passion. Lately however the independance of this class has been 

 established by the rapid spread of Poppy cultivation in the district. 

 The Keorees are the only class of people who will produce Opium. 

 By taking advances from the Opium Department, and putting them- 

 selves under the protection of that powerful establishment, they have 

 quite freed themselves from any dependance on the Zemindars. It is 

 needless to say, that nothing is consequently more odious to the 

 opulent and powerful Zemindars than this Department. 



98th. It is clear that non-proprietary cultivators of this third class 

 by long prescription would rise to the second class, and acquire the right 

 of holding their land at fixed rates. 



99th. The better to define and secure these rights, it has been one 

 great object of the settlement proceedings to form an accurate record of 

 each of these classes, according to their several designations. In the two 

 first classes, the extent of their cultivation and rate of payment has 

 been determined ; and in the third, the land actually held, and the 

 rate actually paid recorded ; this rental thus formed by the village 

 Putwaree, in the presence of as many members of the community as 

 may be on the spot, has been afterwards advertized for information in 

 the village, and at the place where it was drawn out, a time fixed for 

 hearing objections, and at the close of that time, the question has been 

 finally disposed of. Whenever the prevailing rates may have been 

 reduced below the fair Pergunnah average, from collusion, partiality, 

 by special contract, or other cause, it has been sometimes necessary to 

 re-adjust and fix the rates, which may be hereafter demanded. 

 100th. The future maintenance of those arrangements must be left to 



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