1839.] Journal of a trip through Kunawur. 907 



taken but men in easy circumstances, who possess either lands or 

 flocks, the Rajah rightly thinking that those who are well off, will be 

 more likely to keep a sharp eye on the discontented or troublesome 

 characters, than those who have all to gain, and nothing to lose. 

 He has also the satisfaction of reflecting that in case of misconduct 

 they possess the means of paying a heavy fine. 



The Hazrees are a larger body of men than the Churriahs, and they 

 sometimes perform the same duties, but in general they act as Chow- 

 keydars or guards to the Rajah, being distributed round his camp or 

 his palace by night, in a chain of sentries. They consist of one hun- 

 dred and forty men, and have one officer called a " Gooldar" 



Of their number, however, no more than forty or fifty of the smart- 

 est are required to be in attendance ; the others are suffered to remain 

 at home. They are fighting men, and in time of war would join 

 the forces. 



There is no standing army or any regular soldiery since the British 

 Government extended its protection to Bussaher, and even before that 

 time it resembled an half-armed mob, rather than a military force, 

 having no uniform, and each man being armed according to circum- 

 stances, some with matchlocks, some with swords, and others who 

 possessed neither, arming themselves with sticks and branches of 

 trees. 



This rabble was commanded by the three vuzeers if the enemy 

 was in force, or by two or one according to the exigency or trifling 

 nature of the disturbance. 



The Rajah pays a tribute of 15,000 rupees annually to the British 

 Government, which is levied in coin on the inhabitants according to 

 their circumstances, some paying two annas, others four annas, and 

 onwards to ten rupees, which is not exceeded except by the three 

 vuzeers who pay twelve rupees each annually. 



The amount of private revenue which the Rajah himself derives 

 from Bussaher is very uncertain, and cannot be fully ascertained as 

 it is paid in kind, consisting of lambs and kids, blankets, and other 

 manufactures, wool, neozas, raisins, and rice from Chooara, across the 

 Burenda pass, which is I believe the only grain he receives. If the 

 season be bad and the flocks are sickly, or tlje young ones die, that por- 

 tion of the revenue is excused for that year, and so likewise if the 

 fruits or crops fail, so that his revenue varies according to the goodness 

 or unfavourableness of the seasons. It may perhaps be roughly com- 

 puted at from fifty to fifty-five thousand rupees annually. 



For crimes and misdemeanours, fines are levied according to the 



