1839.] Lieut. Kittoe's Journey through the Forests of Orissa. £09 



Lehra and Keunjur Rajas, the former sent two trustworthy persons 

 to confer with me on the subject; I listened to their story, but as I 

 had no power to interfere I declined giving any advice, except enjoin- 

 ing them to keep the peace, which I was informed the latter wished to 

 disturb. 



I learnt the following from the vakeels — the difference between the 

 two states had existed for many years ; at first Colonel Gilbert (the 

 Governor General's Agent) visited Lehra to inquire into the case, he 

 directed the Keunjur Raja to remove his paik thannas out of Lehra 

 until the dispute between the parties was amicably adjusted ; up to 

 that period the tribute had been paid to Sumbulpur, but since then 

 the Lehra man had regularly offered it to him of Keunjur, who has 

 invariably refused to receive it unless the former consents to perform 

 the degrading ceremony. 



The tribute has been regularly placed in the treasury of Lehra, and 

 has consequently accumulated to some thousands of rupees, which the 

 Zemindar said he was willing to pay either to Keunjur or to the British 

 Government, but will sooner forfeit his life than humble himself as 

 required;* the vakeels said that the Commissioner ofCuttack had re- 

 fused to accept the tribute, and had ordered their master to submit to 

 Keunjur, they added that they would do any thing I would order 

 short of the degradation required. 



This case shews perhaps the necessity of the political officers occa- 

 sionally visiting the different mehauls ; much good would result from 

 it in various ways ; but such is the multiplicity of duty which they 

 are at present saddled with, that they have but barely time to attend to 

 the more immediate and urgent duties of the country under our own re- 

 gulations ; added to which the stations of the two (present) authorities, 

 viz. the Governor General's Agent, south-west frontier at Kishenpur 

 near Hazaribaug, and the Commissioner at Cuttack, are both upwards 

 of one hundred miles removed. 



Having dismissed the Lehra people, with promises that I would 

 try and get the Keunjur Raja to come to amicable terms, (if I met 

 him) also to speak to the Commissioner, I proceeded to give the 

 Deogurh Mooktar his "rooksut" as I was now no longer in his dis- 

 trict ; he complained loudly of the extortions and oppressive conduct 

 of some of the people who had attended on Capt. Abbott, and myself, 



* In January of the present year when at Jotepur in Keunjur, I was informed that 

 the Raja was preparing for an attack on Lehra, having erroneously supposed that Mr. 

 B — . the Commissioner, sanctioned his so doing ; and I was assured that my presence 

 only had induced them to suspend hostilities which they intended to re-commence when 

 I should have left. 



