ague, '_offensive and
defensive_,' extended all over the Baugur district, into which we
entered about midway between this and our last stage; and that we
should see how much better it was peopled and cultivated in
consequence than the district of Mahomdee, to which we were going;
that the strong only could keep anything under the Oude Government;
and as they could not be strong without union, all landholders were
solemnly pledged to aid each other, _to the death_, when oppressed or
attacked by the local officers." They asked Captain Weston, who was
some miles behind me, what was the Resident's object in this tour,
whether the Honourable Company's Government was to be introduced into
Oude? He told them that the object was solely to see the state of the
country and condition of the people, with a view to suggest to the
King's Government any measures that might seem calculated to improve
both; and asked them whether they wished to come under the British
rule? They told him, "that they should like much to have the British
rule introduced, if it could be done without worrying them with its
complicated laws and formal and distant courts of justice, of which
they had heard terrible accounts."

The Nazim of the Tundeeawun or Baugur district met me on his border,
and told me, "that he was too weak to enforce the King's orders, or
to collect his revenues; that he had with him one efficient company
of Captain Bunbury's corps, with one gun in good repair, and provided
with draft-bullocks, in good condition; and that this was the only
force he could rely upon; while the landholders were strong, and so
leagued together for mutual defence, that, at the sound of a
matchlock, or any other concerted signal, all the men of a dozen
large villages would, in an hour, concentrate upon and defeat the
largest force the King's officers could assemble; that they did so
almost every year, and often frequently within the same year; that he
had nominally eight guns on duty with him, but the carriage of one
had already gone to pieces; and those of the rest had been so long
without repair that they would go to pieces with very little firing,
that the draft-bullocks had not had any grain for many years, and
were hardly able to walk; and he was in consequence obliged to hire
plough-bullocks, to draw the gun required to salute the Resident; but
he had only ten days ago received an order to give them grain
himself, charge for it in his accounts, and hold