OR CUTTACK. -303 



appointed his successor. The settlement made by him is remembered, 

 with bitterness, for its severity and harshness. He imposed many new 

 cesses on the ryots, and exercised unusual rigour in scrutinizing and re- 

 suming lands held in Jagfr, or free of rent, as the ayma, milk, kharidgi, 

 mouojib, dagrai, &c. Those holders who were permitted to remain in pos- 

 session, were obliged to contribute to the necessities of the state, and were 

 made over for a given number of years in Tenkhah or assignment to differ- 

 ent detachments of troops. 



After two years, a Mahajan, named Baba Ji Naik, received the appoint- 

 ment of Subadar, but his powers were disputed by the party in possession, 

 and it was not till 1178 Amli, that he became firmly fixed in his seat. The 

 district of Cuttack suffered grievously from the memorable famine, which 

 desolated the lower provinces in 1709-70. Rice was not to be had for two 

 sers per rupee, and many thousands of souls perished. To add to the ge- 

 neral distress, an alarming mutiny broke out amongst the troops, which 

 was not quelled for many months. 



On the accession of Sabaji Bhonsla to the Mesned of Nagpore, Ma- 

 dhaji Hari was sent into Cuttack as governor. He threw his predecessor 

 into confinement, and was occupied with arrangements for increasing the 

 revenue of the country, when the accession of Madhaji Bhonsla occasioned 

 a fresh change of administration. Baba Ji Naik once more received the 

 senned of Subadari in 1182, and stepped from a jail to the highest rank in 

 the province. After much intrigue and opposition how r ever, the order for 

 his appointment was recalled, and Madha Ji was allowed to remain in of- 

 fice. In 1183 another dreadful scarcity of grain was experienced in Cut- 

 tack. Rice was hardly to be purchased in the bazar of Cuttack at ten pans 

 the katki ser. In the mofussil, paddy rose as high as twelve pans per 

 gun— Kulti to 12-2 and Mandova 1-4. Its destructive effects are most 

 strikingly evinced, by the recorded fact, that a remission of seven lacs was 

 granted in the revenues of that year. 



