1850.] 



Sircar of T J ytun< 



269 



telligence, answering pertinently, and explaining rationally, all mat- 

 ters connected with their calling ; the contradictions in their charac- 

 ter, arise in a great measure, from the defective nature of the finan- 

 cial system, its indefinite and uncertain assessments, being met by 

 cunning and falsehood on their part. 



The dwellings of the Koonbees are comparatively comfortable and 

 convenient ; the average dimensions being about thirty feet long, 

 by twenty in breadth, with walls five feet high, and formed of sun 

 burnt bricks, having square ends, with mud terraced roofs, or gable 

 ends, and tifed or thatched roofs. The doorway is four feet high 

 and three feet broad, altogether a building of this sort might cost 

 about 20 Rupees, and with occasional repairing would last about ten 

 or fifteen years. 



The confined circumstances of the Koonbee prevent/ 

 Furniture, ^ m( ] u jg; n g j n man y domestic comforts, his household 

 requirements are indeed comprehended in as low a scale of social 

 well-being, as it is possible to be conceived ; the total value of which 

 will be found not exceeding seven or eight Rupees. They are as 

 follows: a stone hand mill for grinding flour, formed by two round 

 stones placed one upon another; the nethermost having a peg in its 

 centre, adapting to a hole in the middle of the upper stone, which is 

 turned round by a handle fixed in it; it costs one Rupee— a brass 

 plate or thalee, costs one Rupee — a brass kutoree or dish, costs 

 half a Rupee — brass lota, three quarters of a Rupee — cue iron 

 tawa, or griddle, for baking bread, four Annas — an iron spoon, 

 two Annas — an axe, half a Rupee — a sickle, half a Rupee — a koor- 

 pee for weeding, two Annas— a variety of earthen and glazed pots, 

 for various domestic purposes; two which are of large size, for hold- 

 ing grain, the whole costing two Rupees —a topla or bamboo bas- 

 ket, containing two maunds, one Rupee — earthen lamps, one Pice a 

 dozen — a sleeping bedstead with rope lacing, half a Rupee. If the 

 Koonbee cultivates ground on his own account, enough to employ one 

 plough, his expenses would be increased by the purchase of three 

 pair of oxen, say 50 Rupees— a plough Rupees 2-8-0, bukkur Ru- 

 pees, and a drill plough 2 Rupees he would probably be obliged to 

 hire the services of a man to assist, for which he would have to give 

 8 or 10 Rupees yearly ; besides subsistence and clothing: this con- 

 sisting of one maund of grain monthly, and 2 pair of shoes, 1 kum- 

 blee, 1 dhotee, I cholna, and 2 lunghotees yearly— ssed sufficient 



