OF THE CITY OF BENARES. 471 



The Kotwal, doubtless, was interested in swelling the list of towns- 

 people, whom it was his duty to keep in subordination ; and Sital Sinh, 

 Mr. Deane's Munshi, who drew up the account, may have thought it 

 complimentary to his master to magnify the importance of the place 

 under his rule ; but it is difficult to forbear smiling at the ultra display of 

 their zeal and diligence in the classification of " suspected persons" in the 

 town : Thus, after a catalogue of the trades and sects, we find inserted 

 the following curious item : 



" Badmash — Those who are ready to commit forgery, 40 houses. 



Ditto to give false evidence, « 400 ditto. 



Ditto to commit theft, ... 200 ditto. 



Thangi, or those who employ thieves, 50 ditto. 



Gamblers, „ 40 ditto. 



Persons who have been taken up for theft 150 



Persons who have been engaged in brawls, &c 100 



Persons who have a pugnacious disposition, 400 



Persons without any profession, and therefore strongly 



d 200 



suspected, 



... 



When engaged in making a Map of the Town in 1822, I could hard- 

 ly fail to entertain suspicions of Zulficar's vague estimate, and I would 

 have attempted a more accurate enumeration had not apprehensions 

 existed among the Civil Authorities that an enquiry of such a nature 

 would be likely to lead to disturbance and dissatisfaction among the 

 people. This opinion was grounded on the occurrences of more than 

 one period, when an unpopular measure, on the part of the English 

 Government, had given rise to disaffection, and even to open resistance in 

 the Town ; and, indeed, as long as such erroneous ideas of the magnitude 

 of the place prevailed, there was room for alarm at the slightest symptom 

 of turbulence on the part of the populace. 



