121 



Banaganpilly Jag hire. 



[April 



It is also found at Moonimuddagoo, in the taluk of Pun- 

 chapaulum ; at Ovalumpully and Condapettah in the Chin- 

 noor taluk — at Ramulacottah in the Kurnul territory, and 

 formerly at Wudjrakarure in the Gooty division. The 

 Ramulacottah mines are the most celebrated. These places 

 partly furnished the diamonds, for which Golconda has been 

 so greatly famed, (b) 



Political Sketch. — The Jaghire of Banaganpilly was re- 

 ceived by treaty with the Nizam in 1800, together with the 

 rest of the Balaghaut Ceded Districts, but remained under 

 the original Jaghiredar; who, until recently, retained both 

 the management and revenue of the country. 



In 1832, tempted by our non-interference with its admini- 

 stration, and the state of misrule into which it had been 

 thrown by the culpable extravagance and mismanagement of 

 the present chief, Hussain Ali Khan, the Nizam made an 

 insidious attempt to annex the Jaghire to his own posses- 

 sions, but this intention was totally frustrated by the vigor- 

 ous interference of Government. 



At present the country is still in a very unsettled state. 



Hussain Ali Khan's expensive habits have involved him 

 in debt to a very large amount. His creditors are principally 

 usurious Gossayns and Hyderabad Pathan sirdars, formerly 

 in his pay. These men have lately returned to Hyderabad. 

 To satisfy their importunate claims numerous villages of the 

 Jaghire have been made over to them, and from the griping 

 extortion and tyranny practised by these lawless ' mercena- 

 ries in exacting the revenue, the agricultural classes have 

 been reduced to great distress, and are anxiously expecting 

 some change for the better. 



I am assured that the news of the Government's intention 

 of assuming the control over the Jaghire towards the close of 



(h) A few geological specimens of the general formation of the 

 country, also of the matrix in which the diamond is found imbedded s 

 both from Banaganpilly and Chinnoor, together with one or two gems 

 of the most common description (rough from the mine) found at the 

 former place, are presented for the Society's acceptance. I was unable 

 to procure any at Chinnoor, as the miners had only just commenced 

 operations, 



