236 



History of the Ramoossies, 



[July 



manner, the consequence of whicli is, that they are over- 

 whelmed with debts. From the complex manner in 

 which the accounts of the most usurious interest and 

 principal with other items,* are mixed up, they become 

 completely ruined, and often obliged to fly from their 

 houses to escape these troublesome creditors, or to raise 

 the money by any means. 



The peace and tranquillity of a district depends much 

 on the character of the Mamlutclar, (the native collector 

 and magistrate) that presides over it ; many of the men 

 employed as Mamlutdars are persons of talent and well 

 acquainted with all matters connected with the collec- 

 tion of the revenue, consequently it might be supposed 

 highly qualified for discharging the duties of the fiscal 

 department, but most unfortunately they are with very 



* Many a Koonby has to apply to a Bunneah (Waany) or merchant for 

 a sufficient quantity of grain to sow his fields, as few of them are in such 

 circumstances as to admit of their preserving any good seed grain from their 



n stock of the preceding season. It is very usual for the Bunneah to de* 

 mand from 50 to 100 per cent, remuneration at harvest time, or a certain 

 portion of clarified butter (ghee,) if the Koonby keeps a herd of buffaloes. 

 When grain is cheap and there is no prospect of its rising in price, the 

 Bunneah keeps quiet, but when there is a demand for both, and it is certain 

 that the farmer has a supply of neither on hand, he is called on to discharge 

 the debt, or he must submit to have it converted into money at the highest 

 bazar rate, and it is then placed to his debit. The mode of collecting the 

 revenue, and the high rate of assessment, forces the farmers to have exten- 

 sive dealings with these Biraneahs. In the account explained to the Koon- 

 by of his affairs, there is a statement of accumulated arrears (termed 

 balances) due for a series of years, and which very probably had been part- 

 ly or v/holly cancelled by order of Government; then his share of cash taken 

 up as a loan, or of that in the name of the village community, aiid disbursed 

 in paying the various public and private demands against him; afterwards 

 follows the Tukkavie account, (money advanced by Government during 

 periods of distress,) for which some of the farmers are unjustly charged 

 interest, and it is well known that the Koolkurnies avail themselves of such 

 opportunities to settle their own private accounts with the Koonbies. In 

 fact it would require a person of no ordinary intelligence to comprehend 

 their dealings, and to detect the rogueries of the Koolkurnies and money 

 doaJers.- 



