1835.] 



History of the Eainoossic.s, 



235 



ations tliey hold^ the influence tbey possess^ as v/ell 63 

 the nature of the country in which they reside^ should 

 be taken into consideration. All the natives are fond 

 of show, rank, and titles. The Naiks of the predatory 

 classes who were employed in the police of districts 

 tinder the former Government, had certain perquisites 

 presented to them at particular periods by the inhabi- 

 tants, as before explained, and which are continued in 

 many instances, and ought to be allov/ed to die a natu- 

 ral death. This added to their dignity, and it was a 

 consequence highly prized. It was only a few years 

 ago, that an active and most useful police officer who 

 was prohibited levying the accustomed perquisites of 

 his office, was driven into rebellion. He was a man of 

 considerable influence from his character, and had esta- 

 blished his name as a most notorious plunderer many years 

 before that period. He considered that his dignity, as 

 well as his pocket, had suffered from the order that had 

 been issued, and after fruitless endeavours to obtain an 

 increase to his pay, he with one or two friends soon ap- 

 peared among his native mountains at the head of a body 

 of nearly four hundred men ; and had not the most ac- 

 tive steps been taken to apprehend him, he would have 

 been immediately joined by hundreds of discontented 

 persons, many of whom were in our pay, but on curtail- 

 ed allowances. 



In hilly districts where the predatory tribes form the 

 chief part of the population, and are the cultivators 

 of the soil, it would seem good policy to reduce the as- 

 sessment ; many of these are notoriously bad charac- 

 ters, while others of them are hard working and indus- 

 trious ; yet living in the greatest misery, chiefly owing 

 to the influence of * Koolkurnies,' ^ Bunneahs,' and ^ Sa- 

 hookars' (agents,) who too frequently, with the conni- 

 vance of the Government agents, have regulated nearly 

 all their dealings in the most arbitrary and oppressive 



