called a _noviskaun_, by which they agree for a certain quantity of
land, for five years, to be cultivated with indigo plant, and for
which they are to be paid at the rate of six rupees per biggah, for
every full field of plant measured by a luggie or measuring-rod. The
luggie, it must be observed, varies in size throughout the district.
In the southern and eastern divisions of Tirhoot and Sarun it is
eight-and-a-half to ten feet long; and in the northern and western
from twelve to fourteen feet. The Assamee receives, on the day of
making his _bundobust_, or settlement, three rupees advance on each
biggah he contracts for, another rupee per biggah when the crop is
fit to weed, and the remaining two rupees at the ensuing settlement
of accounts. Exclusive of the price of his maul or plant, the
Assamee is entitled to receive two or three rupees per biggah (as
may be agreed on) for gurkee, or lands that have failed, as a
remuneration for his trouble, and to enable him to pay his rent. The
foregoing are the principal stipulations of the noviskaun, but the
Assamee further engages to give you such land as you may select,
prepare it according to instructions from the factory, sow and weed
as often as he is required, cut the plant and load the hackeries at
his own cost, and in every other respect conform to the orders of
the planter or his aumlah (managing man). The Assamee is not charged
for seed, the cartage of his plants, or for the cost of drilling. I
should mention that a penalty is attached to the non-fulfilment of
the Assamees engagements, commonly called _hurjah_, viz., twelve
rupees for every biggah short of his agreement, and this for every
year that the noviskaun has to run. This is, however, seldom
recoverable, for if you sue the Assamee in court and obtain a decree
(a most expensive and dilatory process), he can in most instances
easily evade it by a fictitious transfer of his property to other
hands.

The planter generally finds it his interest to get the Zemindar of
the village in which he proposes cultivating, to join in the
noviskaun, as a further security; or he engages with a jytedar, or
head Assamee, having several others subordinate to him, and for
whose conduct he is responsible. But a still better system is lately
gaining ground in this district, I mean that of takin