1850.] Eastern Districts of the Souhah of Hydrabad. 221 



cuse can be devised for the criminal act, the sentence is commuted to 

 imprisonment in irons for life. Chundoo Lall was particuiarlyaverse 

 to the infliction of this extreme penalty, and during his ministry the 

 most atrocious murderers escaped with fine and imprisonment. Hang- 

 ing is the usual mode of execution : high-way robbery with violence 

 is expiated by imprisonment in irons for eight or ten years, and thefts 

 with imprisonment for a shorter period. Coining is seldom practis- 

 ed, but passing bad rupees, coined in the city of Hydrabad, is some- 

 times met with the punishment is also imprisonment. The Mahome- 

 dan punishment for rape is sometimes stoning the ravisher to death, 

 but this crime is often compromised by a fine. Wilful fire raising ; 

 child stealing and forgery are punished by incarceration: whipping 

 by a leather strap called the Dourra, of which there are two sorts, is 

 awarded by the Naib for such offences as giving abuse, raising distur- 

 bances in the bazar, &c. But the infliction of no punishment is so 

 dear to the heart of the Naib as fining — in truth there are very few 

 offences that may not be expiated by a good fine. Bunnyahs are 

 fined for secreting their grain in years of scarcity in order to enhance 

 its price; this is a very common offence, and, when the dry grains are 

 hid, maybe done without much risk of loss, it is one too well worthy 

 of punishment in a country where the communication is attended 

 with great expense and difficulty, which prevent the price of such a 

 necessary of life being regulated by a free competition. Fines are 

 imposed for many petty offences and are appropriated by an unprinci- 

 pled Naib" to his own use. A Naib of this character is continually on 

 the look out for paying offenders, and he has meet instruments of es- 

 pionage in his peons and Sebundees who ferret out such petty delin- 

 quents, and bring many false accusations when they think they can 

 tend to their master's profit. All prisoners are allowed a seer of 

 grain a day and a pice for salt and tobacco — they work for the Naib 

 during the day and are locked up at night. Ail disputes that in any 

 way, however remotely, affect the Government are determined by the 

 Naib or his subordinates, but, when they merely involve the rights of 

 individuals, an appeal to a headman, or to a Punchayet, is allowed. 

 Each class has a headman of their own. The Bunnyahs, Beigewars 

 and other shopkeepers have a chief whom they call Manar — the Coon- 

 bees have their Pedda Capoowar to whom they give the title of Patell. 

 The Dungurs their Pedda Gwallaro, and so on down to the lowest 

 castes. To this office are attached no acknowledged or regular fees 

 but a certain abatement of rent is granted to those who hold it, — it 



