that they only add to
the impression of vagueness of ownership. But the traveller, if he is
observant of detail, will have noticed stones sticking up here and
there, bearing some trace of having been shaped with a tool and
painted or whitewashed, and apparently placed in their position for a
definite object. Sometimes the stones stand alone, sometimes they are
grouped in twos or threes or more. The traveller, vaguely mindful that
the worship of stones is common amongst Hindus, concludes that these
have been put there for religious purposes.

But that is not so. These are only the boundary stones planted by the
Survey Department of the Government of India, perhaps one of the best
organised and most useful of Government departments. The whole of
India has been elaborately surveyed, and the maps are being
continually revised and corrected, and brought up to date. When making
the survey the boundary line of fields and other property was
patiently and carefully investigated, objections and claims listened
to, and an impartial decision arrived at. Each village has now its own
map taken from the Survey. Not only every field and garden is clearly
shown, but the position of all the boundary stones is marked, and they
are arranged on a system which makes a mistake as to the limit of any
property almost an impossibility: unless, indeed, any one "removeth
his neighbour's landmark"; an offence which is not unknown, but for
which the penalty is heavy.

The system is a simple one. A boundary stone is placed at the corner
of a field, or wherever there is an angle, and the boundary is always
drawn in a straight line from stone to stone. If four fields meet at a
certain point there may be as many as five stones, one in the centre
and one on each of the four boundary lines a few feet from the
centre. The number and position of each stone being marked on the map,
even villagers who cannot read or write are able to identify the
different groups of stones by the number in each group, and the
direction in which the additional stones are pointing.

For instance, you want to know the length and precise direction of one
side of a plot of land. Often there is no indication on the ground
itself of any boundary line at all, especially if it is uncultivated
land--neither ditch, or wall, or tree, or any other mark. But you
station yourself at the corner, and from thence look towards the
stone, a few feet off, on the boundary line you want to fix.