OF KAMAON. 189 



As the records of the above period, yield little or no information of the 

 rents of lands and villages, rent free to individuals in tenure of service, or 

 assigned to temples, it is impossible to form any correct account of the 

 income derived from the country by the government or their representatives. 

 Judging, however, from the very superior degree of population and cul- 

 tivation vi^hich then existed, the sovereign's share of the gross produce of the 

 country may be computed at about four lacks kucha rupees for Kamaon, and 

 two for the districts of Gerlvwal. The extraordinary revenue was levied in the 

 form of a general house tax, and, of course, varied in its amount according to 

 the nature of the emergency on which it was imposed. To account for the 

 subsequent deterioration in the resources of the country, a short view of the 

 Gorkhali revenue administration is necessary. 



On the successive conquests of Kamaon and Gerkwal, by that power, 

 the existing system was continued, and the country, including all the villages 

 hitherto reserved for the support of the court and their attendants, was par- 

 celled out in separate assignments to the invading army, and as this was kept 

 up on a large scale, with the view to further conquests, the value of each 

 assignment was estimated at an excessive rate, to meet the expenditure. The 

 consequences may be easily surmised : the troops considering themselves 

 merely as temporary holders, and looking forward to a change of as- 

 signment on every new acquisition, felt no interest in the condition or welfare 

 of the land holders made over to them The emigration, in the first instance, 

 of a large portion of the principal Zemindars, tended still further to increase 

 the evil. The villages were every where assessed rather on a consideration 

 of the supposed means of the inhabitants, than on any computation of 

 their agricultural produce. Balances soon ensued, to liquidate which, the 

 families and effects of the defaulter were seized and sold ; a ready market 

 for the former presenting itself in the neighbouring towns of Rohil- 

 khand. 



2 a 



