er-exacting. Oraons sentenced to imprisonment
without labour, as sometimes happens, for offences against the excise
laws, insist on joining the working gangs, and wherever employed,
if kindly treated, they work as if they felt an interest in their
task. In cold weather or hot, rain or sun, they go cheerfully about it,
and after some nine or ten hours of toil (seasoned with a little play
and chaff among themselves) they return blithely home in flower-decked
groups holding each other by the hand or round the waist and singing."

29. Language

The Kurukh language, Dr. Grierson states, has no written character,
but the gospels have been printed in it in the Devanagri type. The
translation is due to the Rev. F. Halm, who has also published a
Biblical history, a catechism and other small books in Kurukh. More
than five-sixths of the Oraons are still returned as speaking their
own language.

Paik

_Paik._--A small caste of the Uriya country formed from military
service, the term _paik_ meaning 'a foot-soldier.' In 1901 the
Paiks numbered 19,000 persons in the Kalahandi and Patna States and
the Raipur District, but since the transfer of the Uriya States to
Bengal less than 3000 remain in the Central Provinces. In Kalahandi,
where the bulk of them reside, they are called Nalia Sipahis from
the fact that they were formerly armed with _nalis_ or matchlocks by
the State. After the Khond rising of 1882 in Kalahandi these were
confiscated and bows and arrows given in lieu of them. The Paiks
say that they were the followers of two warriors, Kalmir and Jaimir,
who conquered the Kalahandi and Jaipur States from the Khonds about
a thousand years ago. There is no doubt that they formed the rough
militia of the Uriya Rajas, a sort of rabble half military and half
police, like the Khandaits. But the Khandaits were probably the leaders
and officers, and, as a consequence, though originally only a mixed
occupational group, have acquired a higher status than the Paiks and
in Orissa rank next to the Rajputs. The Paiks were the rank and file,
mainly recruited from the forest tribes, and they are counted as
a comparatively low caste, though to strangers they profess to be
Rajputs. In Sambalpur it is said that Rajputs, Sudhs, Bhuiyas and
Gonds are called Paiks. In Kalahandi they wear the sacred thread,
being invested with it by a Brahman at the time of their marriage,
and they say that this privilege was conferred on them by the Raja.