A Journey through the Kingdom of Oude, Volumes I & IISleeman, W. H. (William Henry), Sir
History
A Journey through the Kingdom of Oude, Volumes I & II
Sleeman, W. H. (William Henry), Sir
Oudh (India) -- Description and travel
The climate must be good, for the people are strong and well-made,
and without any appearance of disease. Hardly a beggar of any kind is
to be seen along the road. The residence of religious mendicants
seems to be especially discouraged, and we see no others. It is very
pleasing to pass over such lands after going through such districts
as Bahraetch and Gonda, where the signs of the effects of bad air and
water upon men, women, and children are so sad and numerous; and
those of the abuse of power and the neglect of duty on the part of
the Government and its officers are still more so.
Last evening I sent for the two men above named, who had been
confined for six or seven years, and were said to have been so
because they would not sign the _bynamahs_ required from them by Mann
Sing: their names are Soorujbulee Sing and Rugonath Sing. They came
with the King's wakeel, accompanied by their cousin, Hunooman Sing,
on whose charge they were declared to have been confined. I found
that the village of Tendooa had been held by their family, in
proprietary right, for many generations, and that they were Chouhan
Rajpoots by caste. When Dursun Sing was securing to himself the lands
of the district, those of Tendooa were held in three equal shares by
Soorujbulee and his brothers, Narind and Rugonath; Hunooman Sing,
their cousin; and Seoruttun, their cousin.
Maun Sing took advantage of a desperate quarrel between them, and
secured Soorujbulee and Rugonath. Narind escaped and joined a
refractory tallookdar, and Seoruttun and Hunooman did the same.
Hunooman Sing was, however, invited back, and intrusted, by Maun
Sing, with the management of the whole estate, on favourable terms.
In revenge for his giving in to the terms of Maun Sing, and serving
him, the absconded co-sharers attacked his house several times,
killed three of his brothers, and many other persons of his family,
and robbed him of almost all he had. This was four years ago. He
complained, and the two brothers were kept more strictly confined
than ever, to save him and the village. Hunooman Sing looked upon the
two prisoners as the murderers of his brothers, though they were in
confinement when they were killed, and had been so for more than two
years, and was very violent against them in my presence. They were no
less violent against him, as the cause of their continued confinement
They protested to me, that they had no communication whatever with
Seoruttun or Narind Sing, but thought it very likely, that they
really did lead the gangs in the attacks upon the village, to recover
their rights. They offered to give security for their future good
behaviour if released; but declared, that they would rather die than
consent to sign a _bynamah_, or deed of sale, or any relinquishment
whatever of their hereditary rights as landholders.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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