OP KAMAON. 175 



The full property in the soil has here invariably formed an undisputed 

 part of the royal prerogative, and on this right was founded the claim of the 

 sovereign, either in person or through his assignees, to a large fixed portion of 

 the produce, both of agriculture and mines. The power in the crown, of 

 disposing of such property at its will, has never been questioned, but has 

 been constantly enforced, without consideration to any length of occupancy 

 or other claims in individual holders. The peculiar nature of the country 

 rendered the exercise of this right frequent in the neighbourhood of the 

 capital. The difficulties of procuring supplies in this province, have been 

 already alluded to : individuals settling at Almora or SrinagaTf under the 

 auspices of the reigning prince, in consequence, received the gift of a 

 small portion of land for the establishment of their families. The mer- 

 chants and principal artisans falling under the above description, as being 

 commonly emigrants from the plains, were particularly favoured in this 

 respect, and many of the attendants of the court, who were of the same origin, 

 required and received the same assistance. The commandants and officers 

 of the regular troops stationed at the frontiers, or in forts, enjoyed similar 

 grants of land in the vicinity of their posts. The tenure on which grants 

 of this kind were made, is called Thdty which conveyed, in the first 

 instance, a literal freehold, as it vested the grantee with an hereditary 

 property in the soil as well as in the produce. The rents of these lands 

 have, at subsequent periods, been almost wholly resumed to the rent roll, but 

 the property in the soil has been generally suffered to remain with the heirs 

 of the grantee. The term that is used here, is synonimous with Zemindari 

 in the plains, and it is on grants of this nature, that the rights of a large 

 body of the occupant landholders are founded. The land, in the interior, 

 seldom changed proprietors : the greater part of the present occupants there, 

 derive their claims to the soil, solely from the prescription of long establish- 

 ed and undisturbed possession j and this remark applies also to many indivi- 

 duals, more particularly Brahmins, whose ancestors having, originally, obtained 



