1846-47.] ME. FINNIE ON INDIAN COTTON TRADE. 113 



a banker so far as he makes advances to the Broker, 

 who again makes advances to the Ryot, for the pur- 

 pose of securing the Cotton crop when it is ready for 

 delivery. 



The Ryot : improvident and helplessly in debt. — 176 



The Ryot produces the Cotton of the country. He is 

 always as deep in the Broker's books as his credit will 

 permit ; and consequently cannot stir without an ad- 

 vance from the Broker on the security of the coming 

 crop. Accordingly the Broker first obtains an advance 

 from the Chitty, who is the monied man in all these 

 transactions, and then advances to the Ryot. The 

 Broker, however, must look sharply after the Ryot, and 

 see that he really does plant his land with sufficient 

 Cotton to meet his engagements ; otherwise the Ryot, 

 with his usual reckless improvidence, would spend all 

 the money in a big feast, or wedding, or nautch dance, 

 or some other sort of "tumasha." 



The Broker: adulteration of the Cotton by the 177 

 " Devil's dust " system.— The Cotton crop is delivered 

 to the Broker whilst it is still in seed. The Broker 

 is particular in classifying the seed Cotton, and pays 

 the Ryot for it according to its cleanliness. Next he 

 has much of the trash and rotten locks picked out ; not 

 to make the Cotton better, but because the rubbish 

 chokes the churka, and prevents it from working. The 

 good Cotton staple is then separated from the seed. 

 After this is done the adulteration commences ; for the 

 Chitty contracts so closely with the Broker, that the 

 latter is compelled to resort to what is called the " De- 

 ' vil's dust " system, in order to secure a living profit. 

 This system may be thus described. The rotten Cotton 

 seed, which had been thrown on one side lest it should 

 choke the churka, is beaten with a stone to loosen the 

 fibre from the seed, and then passed through the churka. 

 1 Then the good Cotton and the bad Cotton are both 

 1 taken into a little room six feet by six, which is entered 

 1 by a low door about a foot and a half high and two feet 

 ; wide, and ventilated at a little hole through the outer 

 '■ wall. The object in view is to thoroughly mix the good 

 ' and bad fibre together. Accordingly, two men go into 



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