but one should never attempt to breach
them with round shot, or take them by an escalade or a rush.

It is still more worthy of remark, that these great landholders, who
have recently acquired their possessions by the plunder and murder of
their weaker neighbours, and who continue their system of pillage, in
order to acquire the means to maintain their gangs, and add to these
possessions, are those who are most favoured at Court, and most
conciliated by the local rulers; because they are more able and more
willing than others to pay for the favours of the one, and set at
defiance the authority of the other. They often get their estates
transferred from the jurisdiction of the local governors to that of
the person in charge of the Hozoor Tuhseel at Lucknow. Almost all the
estates of this family of Rawuts have been so transferred.

Local governors cannot help seeing or hearing of the atrocities they
commit, and feeling some _sympathy_ with the sufferers; or at least
some apprehension, that they may lose revenue by their murder, and
the absorption of their estate; but the officer in charge of the
Hozoor Tuhseel sees or hears little of what they do, and cares
nothing about the sufferers as long as their despoilers pay him
liberally. If the local governor reports their atrocities to
Government, this person represents it as arising solely from enmity;
and describes the sufferers as lawless characters, whom it is
meritorious to punish. If the Court attempts to punish or coerce such
characters, he gives them information, and does all he can to
frustrate the attempt. If they are taken and imprisoned, he soon gets
them released; and if their forts and strongholds have been taken and
pulled down, he sells them the privilege of rebuilding or repairing
them. It is exceedingly difficult at all times, and often altogether
impossible, to get one of these robber landholders punished, or
effectually put down, so many and so formidable are the obstacles
thrown in the way by the Court favourite, who has charge of the
Hozoor Tuhseel, and their other friends at the capital. Those who
suffer from their crimes have seldom any chance of redress. Having
lost their all, they are no longer in a condition to pay for it; and
without payment nothing can be got from the Court of Lucknow.

_February_ 23, 1850.--Badoosura, ten miles south-east over a plain
covered with rich crops and fine foliage; soil muteear generally, but
in some parts doomut; til