t dependence in
seasons of drought.

In the Churda estate, in the Tarae forest, the same sufferings were
inflicted on the people by the same agents, Goureeshunker and Beharee
Lal. They seized Mudar Buksh, the manager, and made him over to
Moonshee Kurum Hoseyn, who had him beaten to death. The estate of the
Rajah of Bhinga was treated in the same way. Beharee Lal attacked the
town with a large force, plundered all the houses in it, and all the
people of their clothes and ornaments. They seized all the plough-
bullocks and other cattle, and had them driven off and sold. The
women were all seized and driven off in crowds to the camp of Rughbur
Sing at Parbatee-tolah. Many of them who were far gone in pregnancy
perished on the road, from fatigue and harsh treatment The estate of
the Rajah of Ruhooa was treated in the same manner; and the Rajah, to
avoid torture and disgrace, fled with his family to the jungles. In
July 1846, being in great distress, he was induced to come back on
the most solemn assurances from Rughbur Sing of personal security for
himself, family, and attendants. He left the Rajah his _nankar_ lands
for his subsistence, pledging himself to exact no rents or revenues
from them; but put the estate under the management of his own agents,
Lala Omed Rae and others. He at the same time pledged himself not to
exact from any of the poor Rajah's tenants higher rates than those
stipulated for in the engagements then made. But he immediately after
saddled the Rajah with the payment of five hundred armed men, on the
pretence that they were necessary to protect him, and aid him in the
management of these _nankar_ lands. In May 1847, when the harvests
had been gathered, and he had exacted from the tenants and
cultivators the rates stipulated, Goureeshunker was put into the
management. He seized all the tenants and cultivators by a sudden and
simultaneous attack upon their several villages, and extorted from
them a payment of fifty thousand rupees more. Not satisfied with
this, Goureeshunker seized the Rajah's chief manager, Mungul Pershad,
tied him up to a tree, and had him beaten to death. Many of the
Rajah's tenants and servants were beaten to death in the same manner;
and no less than forty villages were attacked and plundered. A good
many respectable females were seized and compelled to make up the
ransoms of their husbands and fathers who were under torture. Many of
the females who had been seized perished from t