22 MARCH 1851, Page 15

BOOKS.

COLONEL DIXON'S SKETCH OF MAIRWABA.*

THIS report on the history, subjection, improvement, present con- dition, and prospects of Mairwara, has been drawn up by Colonel Dixon, the Superintendent of the district, in obedience to the orders of the East India Directors. The Directors have printed the vo- lume for distribution, more especially among their servants who may be placed in a similar relation with Colonel Dixon towards the natives ; but it is not published for sale.

Mairwara is a highland district forming a portion of the Arabala chain of hills, which runs from Goozerat to within a few miles of Delhi. It is bounded on the North by Ajmeer (which may be found on any map); but the best general idea of its position will be conveyed by saying that the district lies between 25 and 26.1 degrees of North latitude and 73 and 741 degrees of East longi- tude; the chain running North-east and South-west. The hills are rugged, full of fastnesses, and with few gasses : in a natural state they had no roads' and were covered with jungle. The in- habitants resembled the Highlanders of Scotland in various respects, —as indeed is the case with many Asiatics of the hills throughout the continent. They claimed a descent from a founder whose story is very similar to that of Ishmael ; and very like the Arabs were the Mairs in their hand being against every one. They had castes among themselves, but a genuine Hindoo would have looked down upon the whole of their grades with contempt ; while such as professed Mahometanism had slender claim to be enrolled among the faithful beyond the practice of mere initiatory rites. Like the Highlanders of Scotland, they were brave, active, and hardy, and lived by plundering the lowlands. The plains adja- cent to the hills were divided into "beats," each belonging to a particular sept of Mairs, who plundered that range of country in default of a monthly or yearly allowance of" black mail" being paid to them ; which, however, was usually forthcoming. As the Mairwara hills divided some of the inland provinces from the sea, and the nearest route lay through their passes, there was a further source of tribute from the caravans, since they must either be plundered; pay toll, or adopt a circuitous route. The injury arising from these freebooters was so considerable to the adjacent districts, that princes of spirit and leisure made various attempts at subduing them ; but they were always repulsed, through the difficulties of the country and the bravery of the Main. The ad- vancing conquests of the Company at last brought the Mairwara district within the range of British power, and the state of dis

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oroanization *which the robberies of the Mairs produced could not be tolerated even in the territories of a " protected " prince. After some trial of treaties, which turned out no better than waste paper, a force was marched into the country, and the Mairs were finally subdued in 1821.

Fortunately for the peace and prosperity of the district, Colonel Hall, the first Superintendent of Mairwara, was, like his successor Colonel Dixon, a man of humanity, energy, and ability. Ile saw that coercion was not sufficient to put a stop to the robberies of the Mairs. If we deprived them of one means of living, we must furnish them with another, or cattle-lifting and plunder would still go on. To describe the steps by which lawless freebooters were transformed into peaceful cultivators, is one great object of the present volume.

The first step was to render robbery difficult and detection cer- tain: to effect which, a body of native police was organized, and the inhabitants of a village were made responsible in money for any robbery perpetrated on their lands if the real culprit was not de- tected. Another plan was to forbid some barbarous practices—as female infanticide, and discourage others—as the sale of women. Laws and regulations, however, it was felt, would do little, unless the people were put in the way of getting their own liveli- hood; and the method adopted would have startled the mere po- litical economist. In fact, it would only have been successful with men like Hall and Dixon, who united great suavity, and adapta- bility of manner with great firmness of purpose, and who more- over threw themselves heartily into their work, living amongst the people, and at certain seasons visiting each village in succession, listening, advising, and stimulating by praise, blame, or exhort- ation. When new land was brought under cultivation its land- tax was reduced ; advances were made and tools given to the cultivators ; some of the peasantry were employed on public works, others enlisted as soldiers. The great natural evil of the country was drought ; the steepness of the hills causing the water to run off in torrents, so that in dry seasons failure of crops and even positive famine were to be apprehended. A system of ar- tificial irrigation was adopted. Extensive works have been gra- dually erected, of a very enduring kind, and under the guidance of great engineering ability; the features varying to meet the vary- ing nature of the circumstances, but all upon the principle of the dam. The watercourse is embanked at an advantageous spot, by which means a lake is created, and means produced for irrigating the lands below it : if the lake dried up, in a very dry season, its bed still retained sufficient moisture to yield a crop.

A great portion of the book is devoted to elaborate and interest-

Sketch of Mairwara; giving a brief Account of the Origin and Habits. of the Maims, their Subjugation by a British Force; their Civilization, and Conversion into an industrious Peasantry • with Descriptions of Various Works of Irrigation in Mairwara and Ajmeer, constructed to facilitate the Operations of Agriculture and guard the Districts against Drought and Famine. Illustrated with Mape, Plans, and Views. By Lieutenant-Colonel C. G. Dixon, Bengal Artillery ; Superintendent Ai- meer and Mairwara, and Commandant Mairwara Local Battalion. Published by Smith and Elder.

ing descriptions of these works, illustrated by plans and views, with an account of the results ; whose sum may be thus stated. Two hundred and ninety embankments have been erected, includ- ing a few repaired, producing a water surface of between eight and nine thousand and a cultivation of nearly fifteen thousand acres. The sum expended on works of irrigation during Colonel Dixon's superintendence has been 241,000 rupees ; the excess of revenue over the old assessment, 641,000 rupees; leaving a balance of 400,000 rupees profit. A capital, Nya Nuggur, has been founded. Some villages have grown into provincial towns. One hundred and six new hamlets have been located on waste jungles within the last twelve years. In the same period, the people had of them- selves constructed 3915 wells and 2063 narees or small tanks for irrigation.

This book is an important collection of materials, historical, economical, and scientific, independently of its value for the purpose for which it was printed—that of serving as an example to officers who might find themselves in a similar position. As a literary composition, the volume is not, of course, exempt from occasional dryness; but it is an interesting work : various in subject; full of matter ; valuable to the student and curious to the reader, for its sketches of the habits, customs, and superstitions of the people ; im- portant to the agricultural improver in countries subject to drought —as Southern Africa or Australia, and instructive to the inquiring engineer ; while it possesses an attraction which seems inherent in the human mind in witnessing the growth of anything, whether natural or artificial. The plans very clearly elucidate the descrip- tive text; the views, by a friend of Colonel Dixon, exhibit the style of country ; and there is a large and excellent map. We have often had occasion to point to usages among barbarous tribes which seem to want but time and opportunity to ripen into the British constitution. The Mairs, barbarous as they were held to be by those whom they robbed, and as they really were, had in their " Punchaet " the germ of our Parliament, parish authorities, and jury. When men were convened for this last function, the name would seem to have been "Punch." It does not appear to have been much used by the people, from the want of some suffici- ent authority to enforce its decrees, or perhaps on account of hav- ing to feed the jurymen while the cause listed. By the Superin- tendents it was extensively employed.

"In all eases having reference to the abduction of women, breach of pro- mise of marriage, claim to land, debts, settlement of boundary disputes, minor eases of foujdaree,—in a word, in all matters of complaints of wrong sustained or injury done, with exception to higher cases of crime, the pun- child is the chief instrument employed in the distribution of justice amongst this primitive people.

"The following is the ordinary course of procedure. The complainant presents a written petition in Oordoo, in which is embodied the particulars of his grievance. At the close of his complaint he expresses his willingness or otherwise to have his ease settled by punchaet. An order is then passed for the attendance of the defendant : on his appearing, the complaint is ex- plained to him, when he delivers in a counter-statement, signifying at the same time by what mode he wishes to be tried. Should each party desire a punchaet, each names his respective arbitrators ; the number of whom is alone limited by the pleasure of the contending parties. Sometimes the jury consists of twelve members on each side. Generally speaking on the score

of economy, each side restricts its quota to three or four members. Objec- tions to members on account of nearness of kin or on other reasonable grounds arc allowed, and substitutes are named to supply the place of those challenged and rejected. The complainant and defendant then enter into engagements to abide by the decision of the 'punchaet, except in cases of disapproval, by paying a stated fine to the Government, when a new trial is allowed. In like manner, the arbitrators bind themselves by engagements to do strict and impartial justice in the case submitted to their decision ; in failure thereof, a stated sum is forfeited. All preliminaries having been arranged, the case comes under investigation. Each party finds its arbitra- tors in food, which varies in quality according to the means of the parties. On the decision of the case, the expense devolves on the losing side. As the Elders are chiefly selected, from their respectability and inferred knowledge of right, for this duty, delay in coming to a decision is not unusual ; influ- enced, perhaps, by the circumstance that they are found in food whilst en-

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gaged in such investigation. Feelings of pride and the imagined honour of their clan more frequently induce delay when matters between two opposite septs are under discussion. Punchaets have taken a month or five weeks to consider the questions at issue. Having at length come to a decision, their opinion, recorded in writing, is read and explained to the complainant and defendant, who approve or disapprove of the decree of the Punch, ac- cordingly as their feelings prompt them. Their decision, generally speaking, is unanimous ; when otherwise, the opinion of three-fourths of the members is necessary to make their decree binding. Although dissentients are at liberty on paying the stipulated fine, regulated in reference to the largeness of the case at issue, to demand a fresh trial, this privilege is rarely claimed. The Maks, when allowed time for consideration, are open to reason, and they well know, where there is a large majority opposed to them, cogent reasons exist for this decision ; the more particularly as their arbitrators, or a portion of them, have so decided the case. The Superintendent will gene- rally know when the decision of a Punch is not consonant with the usages of the people. His explanation is received willingly by the arbitrators, when any deviation from common usage is pointed out to them. In this way, by observing a temperate conciliatory tone towards the jury, a slight modifica- tion of their decree not unfrequently has the desirable effect of bringing round a Hazeenamah on both sides."

It might be a curious subject of speculation, whether the re- semblances we have alluded to argue kindred in blood, or arise from external circumstances. The following examples of the su- perstitions and practices of the Mairs read like a description of Highland Celts or Anglo-Saxons, except as regards the custom of allowing the injured to help himself without stint unless from conscience.

"Prior to their subjugation, the sword too frequently decided disputes and repaired injuries. Every man stood on his own strength, or that of his kin- dred. The most prolific source of quarrel was the abduction of women of one clan by people belonging to another, or on account of a breach of pro- e of marriage. In the former case, the whole clan and all that were on friendly terms with it, would espouse the quarrel as their own. Serious en- counters would occasionally take place, and as loss of life ensued, feuds were generated which were handed down to posterity as an heirloom. Another mode in adoption with them, when the sword was not chosen as the arbiter, was recourse to Deej,' a species of ordeal to which the culprit was sub- mitted. This consisted in thrusting the naked hand into a vessel filled with boiling oil, or in taking up a red-hot shot with the hand. Superstition, with its false philosophy, had taught them that innocence would protect the cul- prit from injury from scalding oil or from burning hot iron. That the ordeal was ever put to trial no proof exists; although the people have frequently been pressed to show one solitary instance of its use. Still in the virtue Of this remedy as a test for guilt or innocence all hold a firm belief. Although they have been told of the fallacy of this doctrine, and that neither inno- cence nor any human agency can prevent flesh from burning when brought into contact with fire, still they cling to the belief of their forefathers, and consider the Deej the only true and impartial mode of arbitrament. This superstition, like that of witchcraft, will loose its hold on the minds of the people as education spreads its influence and they commence thinking for themselves.

"Another mode of observance, in view to satisfy claimants, was to place money or property within a temple or other holy spot, when the individual concerned would help himself as far as his conscience sanctioned. On some occasions the dispute was decided by one or other party taking an oath, under the provision, that were the swearing party to suffer any misfortune by death in his family, or loss of cattle or property within a stated number of days, his oath was null and void, and his case lost. "The Mairs were wont to entertain the fullest belief in witchcraft. A woman suspected of exercising this power was submitted to the ordeal of having red pepper applied to her eyes. On this application exciting acute pain, she was considered as guiltless of the accusation ; otherwise she was a witch. The superstitious belief in the power of witches has not altogether disappeared. An unusual mortality amongst cattle is attributed to the evil designs of an old woman. A few years since, the zumeendars of one of the villages were collected as usual under the awning of the Superintendent's tent, when one of the party observed that an old woman, a reputed witch, residing in a neighbouring village, had destroyed three of his children, by eating up their livers. The complainant was questioned as to how the oc- currence took place. He was unable to do more than state the sad result, that his children had died in consequence of the loss of their livers."