a den of robbers; and, the better to secure this
object, he had got it transferred from the jurisdiction of the Nazim
to the Hozoor Tehseel, over the manager of which the Court favourite
had paramount influence. He was to share with his client the fruits
of his depredations, and, in return, to secure him impunity for his
crimes. Many of his retainers were among the prisoners brought in to
me, having been present at the distribution of the large booty
acquired from the old subadar, some thirty or forty thousand rupees.
The subadar had resided upon the estate of Seodursun Sing; but
having, seven years ago complained through the Resident of over-
exactions for the small patch of land he held, and got back the grain
which had been attacked for the rent, he was obliged to give it up
and reside in the hamlet he afterwards occupied near Bulla, whose
zumeendars assured him of protection.* He had a large family, and a
great deal of property in money and other valuables concealed under
ground. Mohiboollah first seized and sent off the subadar, and then
had ramrods made red-hot and applied to the bodies of the children
till the females gave him all their ornaments, and pointed out to him
all the hidden treasures: they were then all taken to Bulla and
confined till the subadar had pledged himself to pay the ransom
demanded.

[* The greater part of this property is understood to have been
confided, in trust, to the old subadar, by some other minion of the
Court, and the chief object of the gang was to get hold of it; as
their patron, Akber-od Dowlah, had become aware that his fellow-
minion had intrusted his wealth to the old subadar, after he had
taken up his residence near Bulla. The estate was made over, in farm,
to Benee Madho, as the best man to cope with Mohiboollah, should he
return and form a new gang.]

I requested the King to take the estate from this ruffian and restore
it to its old proprietors, whose family had held it for several
centuries, or bestow it in lease to some other strong and deserving
person.

The Tilokchundee Byses take the daughters of other Rajpoots, who are
a shade lower in caste, in marriage for their sons, but do not give
their daughters in marriage to them in return. They have a singular
notion that no snake ever has destroyed or ever can destroy one of
the family, and seem to take no precautions against its bite. If
bitten by a snake they do not attempt any remedy, nor could Benee
Madho recoll