400 



On the Statistics of Dnkhun. 



[Aputl 



were twelve hercilitary village oflioeis, the woll-kiioAvn Dara Bullooleli, 

 uliose numbers wore complete or otherwise as the popuhilion of the 

 villages was capable of supporting them. All these oflieers and the 

 chief land-owners formed a village council, culled Pundrch, 

 managed the external and intern il relations of the village, whether with 

 respec tto raising the government assessments, managing its police, or iu 

 settling civil disputes, excepting in cases where Panchaeits or juries of 

 five persons were specifically a}>pointed to arbitrate by mutual consent 

 of the litigating parlies. And it is somewhat remark.tble that this isola- 

 ted and internal government has willhstood the shocks of all the changes 

 of dynasties, invasions, rebellions and the destructive anarchy which have 

 so frequently disgraced the annals of India. 



A certain number of villages constituted a Naikwuree, over which was 

 an officer with the denomination of N dk. Eighty-four villages consti- 

 tuted a Deshmookee, over which was an otlicer called u Uesliinook, or 

 governor,* possibly equivalent to our lord-licutenant of counties ; this 

 officer was assisted by a Desh Chowgulla ; and fur the branch of accounts 

 there was a Deshpandeh or district ac!-otmtant and register. The links 

 cmnefting the Deshmooks with the prince were Sur-Deshrnooks, or 

 heads of the Deshmooks; they were few in number. It is said there 

 were also Sur-Deshpandehs. The Siir-Dcshmooks, Deshmooks, and 

 their assistants, Naiks, Pateels, and Chovvgullahs, indeed all persons in 

 authority, were Mahrattas ; the writers and accountants were mostly 

 Brahraaus. Such was the state of things under the ancient Hindoo 

 governments. The Moosulmans on their conquest, in the civil divisions 

 of the countiy, introduced the terms of Soobeh (a province), Pergunnah 

 (county), Tallook (manor, lordship), andTurruff"(a division of a county). 

 The Hindoo hereditary officers were deprived of tlieir authority, (except- 

 ing those in the village constitution,) but, very liberally, they were not 

 deprived of their tenures ; and their places were supplied by Zemin- 

 dcirs,t Maamlutdars, Sherislehdars, Havildars, &c. 



I have stated that the family estates were called Thuls, from the San- 

 scrit Sthiil, "firm land and in case the family became extinct or Gut- 

 kool, from the Sanscrit Gut, ** gone, passed away," and Kool, " a race 

 or family," the property did not pass to the sovereign, but it was at the 



* Called also Desaee or Deshaee in some parts. 



t Mistakes, veiy serious in their consequences, have been made with respect to the 

 supposed rights of Zemindars. They were introduced by the Moosulmans, superceding 

 the ancient Hindoo Deshmooks and Desaecs, and were government officers for the 

 collection of the revenue, and for the civil government of districts. In Bengal, the 

 British considered them proprietors of the soil, and constituted them as great free, 

 holders ; s\Yeepiiig away the village freeholds. 



