be considered as the only
legitimate reporters of events--the only recognised _masters in the
Oude Chancery_; and, as the Resident observed, "they choked up all
the channels the people had of access to their sovereign;" but they
have choked them up just as much since the abolition of the farm, and
have had to pay just as much as before.

A brief sketch of the proceedings of Rughbur Sing, the son of Dursun
Sing, in his government of these districts of Gonda and Baraetch, for
the years 1846 and 1847, may here be given as further illustration of
the Oude government and its administration, in this part of the
country at least. It had not suffered very much under his uncle's
brief reign in 1842 and 1843, and the governors who followed him, up
to 1846, were too weak to coerce the Tallookdars, or do much injury
to their estates. Rughbur Sing had a large body of the King's troops
to aid him in enforcing from them the payment of the current revenue
and balances, real or pretended, for past years; and a large body of
armed retainers of his own to assist him in his contest with his
brothers for the possessions of the Mehdona and Asrewa estates, which
had been going on ever since the death of their father.

I have stated that Rughbur Sing held in contract the districts of
Gonda and Bahraetch for the years 1846 and 1847, and shown to what a
state of wretchedness he managed to reduce them in that brief period.
In 1849, some months after I took charge of my office, I deputed a
European gentleman of high character, Captain Orr, of the Oude
Frontier Police, to pass through these districts, and inquire into
and report upon the charges of oppression brought against him by the
people, as his agents were diligently employed at Lucknow in
distributing money among the most influential persons about the
Court, and a disposition to restore him to power had become manifest.
He had purchased large estates in our districts of Benares and
Goruckpoor, where he now resided for greater security, while he had
five thousand armed men, employed under other agents, in fighting
with his brother, Maun Sing, for the possession of the _bynamah_
estates, above described, in the Sultanpoor district. In this contest
a great many lives were lost, and the peace of the country was long
and much disturbed, but, after driving all his brother's forces and
agents out of the district. Maun Sing retained quiet possession of
the estates. This contest would, however, hav