388 Contributions to the /Statistics of Bengal. [No. 4. 



I think sufficient intrinsic evidence of their reliability will be found 

 to confer upon them the character of approximate truths. The 

 Table comprehends every ordinary item of expenditure, except 

 that incurred on account of live-stock, which has been accidentally 

 omitted, and the probable amount of which must of course be deduct- 

 ed from the balance when in favour. 



With the view of rendering the questions and consequent infor- 

 mation as clear as possible, it was agreed that the inquiry should 

 embrace the condition of its subjects during the past twelve months 

 only. 



[See Table A.] 



The above Table speaks for itself. To compute the mean of each 

 item of expenditure would be useless labour. It may be remarked, 

 however, that according to column 3, out of the one hundred men 

 subjected to examination, seventy-seven were married, out of which 

 number only four had more than one wife. By summing up column 

 4 we obtain a total of one hundred and twenty-one children or only 

 1.57 per marriage. This appears a very small number, but the source 

 of error is difficult to detect, as all children of whatever age living 

 in the house, must have been included. 



The mean wages of the husbands amount to Co.'s Rs. 3-3-5, 

 whilst those of the wives are 3as. lp. ; Columns 12 and 13 show us 

 that whilst by far the largest proportion of the sums devoted to food 

 is spent in rice, dhal is consumed in very small quantity. The 

 outlay on salt exhibits a large figure in column 14, whilst col. 29 

 was formed with the view of ascertaining whether they obtained a 

 sufficiency of this important condiment. Pish, as might naturally 

 be expected at a sea-port, is universally consumed in preference to 

 the meat, which constitutes a part of the Musulman's diet in the 

 more inland districts. The outlay on fuel (column 20) is very small 

 and by no means general. This circumstance is probably due to 

 its having been procured for the most part by the hand-labour of 

 some portion of the family. The almost universal use of tobacco 

 and the proportionate sum devoted to it, bear an important relation 

 to the fact of this necessary of life to a Bengali having been lately 

 prohibited in our jails, as a too luxurious source of enjoyment. 



