1837.] 



An Account of the Tribe of Mhadeo Kolies, 



2i7 



three or four months, if he will let him have the ghee at the rate of four 

 seers for the rupee. He will most probably remark that suth and such 

 U person had promised to supply him with ghee at that rate, and he adds 

 that if he (the Koly) objects to do so, that he had better pay him his 

 money* The wretched man being at a nonplus promises to comply with 

 the demand of his creditor ; when the time arrives for delivering the 

 ghee, the Koly will send to say that he does not possess the means of 

 fulfilling his promise (his cattle may have died, or ghee may have been 

 spoiled, or he may have disposed of it, or the value of it, in some other 

 way) 5 the Bunniah sends again for him and tells him that as he has 

 not got the ghee, he must convert the debt into cash at the rate of the 

 market price of the article, or on more favourable terms. Ghee happens 

 to be selling 2\ seers for the rupee ; then we have the original debt 

 twenty-one rupees, multiplied by four seers of ghee equals eighty-four 

 seers, which, at the rate of two and a half seers for the rupee, gives 

 thirty-three and a half rupees. The Bunniah says if you cannot pay me 

 this money now, you must do so at the Hooly festival, when the accounts 

 are usually adjusted. For the accommodation of the parties another 

 promissory note is prepared, including a bonus calculated at fifteen per 

 cent., which brings the debt to thirty-eight rupees. The Koly is inform* 

 ed that, if he will agree to pay the interest in rice or in khoorachny, at 

 the rate of four seers or one paillie for the rupee each month, he may go 

 away tohishorae,but thathe mustbe prepared to give some articles, orna- 

 ments or cattle, in pledgees security for the payment of the debt At the 

 expiration of -the four months the account will be as follows. Thirty-eight 

 rupees, one paillie interest, equals thirty-eight, which in four months 

 equals one hundred and fifty-two paillies ; at the Hooly , khoorachny sells 

 six seers for a rupee, therefore the interest will amount to 6)i52(25§ twen- 

 ty-five and one-third rupees being added to the principal raises it to sixty . 

 three and one-third rupees. Should the Koly, either from improvidence 

 or some misfortune, or unavoidable expense, be unable to discharge any 

 part of the principal or interest from the time he incurred the debt, the 

 Bunniah will now remonstrate with him and tell him thathe must either 

 pay the money, or pledge some of his cattle, as security for the debt. 

 This being agreed to, he selects some of the Koly's best cows and buffa- 

 loes, but will only consent to them at a fifth or sixth under their value, 

 observing, very likely, at the same time, that he does not wish to be 

 troubled with his cattle. The unlucky debtor sees no alternative but 

 complying with his creditor's terms. This time the promissory note is 

 Written out on stamped paper; a fresh bonus is included, and a further 

 term of four months is agreed on for the payment ; the interest to be paid 

 in rice, ghee, or khoorachny* as may best suit the Bunniah, who tells 

 the Koly that unless he fulfils his engagements, he will lodge a com-* 

 jplaint in the court for the purpose of recovering his money. In thg 



