TJie Ethnology of India. 93 



and they have occasionally, though rarely, risen to higher posts, espe- 

 cially one somewhat notorious family in Oude. In fact, in the 

 Gangetic valley the Koormees, though much appreciated as cultivators, 

 are somewhat looked down upon by the higher castes as mere humble 

 tillers of the soil. If we proceed south from the Lower Doab, towards 

 the Jubbulpore and Saugor territories, Koormees become more numer- 

 ous, and there are hereabouts a good many ' Lodhas,' a tribe appa- 

 rently cognate to Koormees, and who are also pretty well known in the 

 North West Provinces. They seem in this part of the Central Provin- 

 ces to have at one time occupied a very considerable position. 

 Thence westwards, on both sides of the Nerbudda, and still farther 

 west to the north of the Nerbudda in parts of Malwa, that is in fact 

 throughout the southern borders of Hindustan, Hindee-speaking 

 Koormees are very numerous. In most of this country they are the 

 chief cultivating class. In Malwa they meet the Jats and share with 

 them the character of the most respectable and industrious cultivators. 

 In Rajpootana there is a cultivating class called c Pittuls' who are 

 supposed to be Koormees under another name. 



Farther west in Guzerat the Koonbees form the main body of the 

 best cultivating population. They seem to be in the main the owners 

 of the land, and though quiet and unpretending, are said to be still 

 sturdy and independent and altogether a fine agricultural people. 



Throughout the whole of the Maratta country, the Koonbees are 

 the main agricultural and landholding tribe. Here also they generally 

 are quiet simple agriculturalists, but the Maratta Koonbees do not seem 

 to be so energetic and good in this way as their northern congeners. 

 They have lived long under much oppression and subject to great 

 disadvantages. In the Nagpore country, Berar and Candeish, however, 

 they are now a sufficiently industrious and easily managed population. 

 To the south, where they meet the Canarese in the Deccan, every one 

 is agreed that the latter are decidedly superior in industry and agri- 

 cultural energy. 



I have seen an allusion to Telinga Koonbees in the north-eastern 

 portion of the Nizam's territory, in the country down the Godavery 

 below the limits of the Maratta tongue, but whether these are really 

 Telingas of this caste, or whether the word is only used to express 

 Telinga cultivators, I am not sure. 



