674 Lieut. Kittoe's Journey through the Forests of Orissa. [August, 



this fine purgunnah ; the farmers are of the Bhoomia cast ; they have 

 been obliged to forsake the lands on account of the serious extortions 

 and acts of injustice inflicted on them by their dissipated and ignorant 

 chief, the Raja of Mohurbhunj. It is much to be regretted that our 

 Government has not the right to exercise more extensive control over 

 the tributary mehauls in general, particularly over this of Mohurbhunj, 

 in which there is so much fine land, that could be brought to favorable 

 account. The ryots cultivate little more than what is sufficient to 

 answer their immediate wants, knowing too well that the production and 

 possession of more, would only aftord further grounds and opportunities 

 for their being plundered of all, it is hence that on the occurrence of a bad 

 harvest the poorer people perish from starvation, and its accompaniment, 

 pestilence. I have been told that more than half of the population of 

 all the jungle mehauls has been swept away within the last three or 

 four years from these causes ; judging from the scanty population, and 

 the number of deserted huts to be seen in every village, wherever I 

 have travelled, I am inclined to think that there is little exaggeration 

 in the assertion. 



It is scarcely necessary for me to add that it would be hazardous for 

 Europeans to take tracts of country, (were the chiefs to give the lease 

 of them) unless the government would protect their rights. There is 

 an Indigo factory at Jalda near Seersa in the Oopurbaugh purgunnah ; 

 but as an instance of the uncertainty of procuring labourers, this fac- 

 tory was nearly at a stand still, during the present season, in conse- 

 quence of the causes above alluded to, (viz. the desertion of the ryots.) 



Whilst touching on the subject of Europeans farming in these 

 mehauls, I must add that although the population is at present so 

 scanty and at all times its number uncertain, I feel confident that 

 were purgunnahs taken on long leases with the guarantee of pro- 

 tection on the part of our government there would be (under proper 

 and equitable management on that of the European farmers) no want 

 of ryots of all classes, Boomiahs or Sontauls, and even Dangurs 

 from the northward, who would flock to them for employment ; the 

 wants of these people are few, consequently labour is, and would be, 

 very cheap. The Boomiahs are a powerful and industrious race of 

 people, they are the principal landholders in these parts. The Sontauls 

 are an inferior class, but a cheerful race and make very good labourers; 

 I have frequently seen eight or ten employed on the road, cheerfully 

 dragging timber carts, with one or two of them playing on a kind of 

 flute, made of the joint of a bamboo, as an accompaniment to the songs 

 of the rest of the party. 





