of revenue to the Company. Mr. Hastings would
not pocket his bribe of 40,000_l._ for himself without letting the
Company in as a sharer and accomplice. For the province of Rungpore, the
object to which I mean in this instance to confine your attention,
7,000_l._ a year was added. But lest this avowed increase of rent should
seem to lead to oppression, great and religious care was taken in the
covenant so stipulated with Debi Sing, that _this_ increase should not
arise from any additional assessment whatsoever on the country, but
solely from improvements in the cultivation, and the encouragement to be
given to the landholder and husbandman. But as Mr. Hastings's bribe, of
a far greater sum, was not guarded by any such provision, it was left to
the discretion of the donor in what manner he was to indemnify himself
for it.

Debi Sing fixed the seat of his authority at Dinagepore, where, as soon
as he arrived, he did not lose a moment in doing his duty. If Mr.
Hastings can forget his covenant, you may easily believe that Debi Sing
had not a more correct memory; and accordingly, as soon as he came into
the province, he instantly broke every covenant which he had entered
into as a restraint on his avarice, rapacity, and tyranny, which, from
the highest of the nobility and gentry to the lowest husbandmen, were
afterwards exercised, with a stern and unrelenting impartiality, upon
the whole people. For, notwithstanding the province before Debi Sing's
lease was, from various causes, in a state of declension, and in balance
for the revenue of the preceding year, at his very first entrance into
office he forced from the zemindars or landed gentry an enormous
increase of their tribute. They refused compliance. On this refusal he
threw the whole body of zemindars into prison, and thus in bonds and
fetters compelled them to sign their own ruin by an increase of rent
which they knew they could never realize. Having thus gotten them under,
he added exaction to exaction, so that every day announced some new and
varied demand, until, exhausted by these oppressions, they were brought
to the extremity to which he meant to drive them, the sale of their
lands.

The lands held by the zemindars of that country are of many
descriptions. The first and most general are those that pay revenue; the
others are of the nature of demesne lands, which are free, and pay no
rent to government. The latter are for the immediate support of the
zemindars an