CITY OF DACCA. 537 



gives a total population of sixty-six thousand nine hundred and eighty- 

 nine souls, residing in sixteen thousand two hundred and seventy-nine 

 houses or chouks — an amount which falls far short of the estimates here- 

 tofore made of the population of this city. 



Hamilton, in his Gazetteer, estimates the population of Dacca as 

 exceeding one hundred and fifty thousand; and Bishop Heber in 1823, 

 states it at three hundred thousand, and the number of houses at ninety 

 thousand. 



That the population has fallen off very rapidly since the opening 

 of the free trade, is apparent from the fact that, in 1814, when the Cho- 

 kidari tax was first introduced, (the records of which furnish the only 

 authentic information of the population in former years now procurable,) 

 the number of houses actually assessed amounted to twenty- one thousand 

 six hundred and thirty-one — and the amount collected, at an average of 

 two anas per house, maintained nearly eight hundred Police Chokidars 

 — whereas, in the present year, (1830,) the number of houses actually 

 assessed, amounted only to ten thousand seven hundred and eight — and 

 the number of Chokidars maintained to two hundred and thirty-six. 

 Hence, in sixteen years, a diminution in the population of about one half 

 may be assumed. The number of native inhabitants found actually 

 existing in each house or chouk, varies from one to ninety ; — and the 

 average to each dwelling house is four and one-eighth— -a less proportion 

 than at JBurdivan, which is stated at five and a half ; or than at Benares, 

 where six has been assumed as a fair average for all sorts of houses. 



The number of native males, as shewn by the Statements, exceeds 

 that of the females ; the former being thirty-seven thousand four hundred 

 and twenty-two, the latter twenty-nine thousand two hundred and forty- 

 five, — or about one hundred and three and two-thirds males, to one hundred 



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