ettled in the Hoshangabad and Nimar districts of the
Central Provinces. The Gujars are inveterate cattle-lifters, and
always ready to take advantage of any relaxation of the bonds of
order to prey upon their neighbours. Many sections of the caste have
adopted the Muhammadan faith.

40. The small state of Chhatarpur lies to the south of the Hamirpur
district, between the Dasan and Ken rivers. The town of Chhatarpur,
on the military road from Banda to Sagar, is remarkable for the
mausoleum and ruined palace of Raja Chhatarsal, after whom the town
is named. Khajuraho, the ancient religious capital of the Chandel
monarchy, with its magnificent group of mediaeval Hindoo and Jain
temples, is within the limits of the state, about eighteen miles
south-east of Chhatarpur, and thirty-four miles south of Mahoba. The
Pawar adventurer, who succeeded in separating Chhatarpur from the
Panna state, was originally a common soldier.

41. Concerning Chhatarsal (A.D. 1671 to 1731), see notes _ante_,
Chapter 14 note 9, and chapter 23 note 11. He was one of the sons of
Champat Rai. The correct date of the death of Chhatarsal is Pus Badi
3, Sanwat, 1788 = A.D. 1731. Hardi (Hirdai) Sa succeeded to the Raj,
or kingdom, of Panna, and Jagatraj to that of Jaitpur. These kingdoms
quickly broke up, and the fragments are now in part native states and
in part British territory. The Orchha State was formed about the
beginning of the sixteenth century, and the Chanderi and Datiya
States are offshoots from it, which separated during the seventeenth
century.

42. As already observed (_ante_, Chapter 26, note 29), the Jalaun
State became British territory in 1840, four years after the tour
described in the text, and four years before the, publication of the
book. The Jhansi State similarly lapsed on the death of Raja
Gangadhar Rao in November, 1853. The Rani Lachhmi Bai joined the
mutineers, and was killed in battle in June, 1858.

CHAPTER 27

Blights.

I had a visit from my little friend the Sarimant, and the
conversation turned upon the causes and effects of the dreadful
blight to which the wheat crops in the Nerbudda districts had of late
years been subject. He said that 'the people at first attributed this
great calamity to an increase in the crime of adultery which had
followed the introduction of our rule, and which', he said, 'was
understood to follow it everywhere; that afterwards it was by most
people attributed to our frequen