14. Native Christians, according to the census of 1872, number 1,214 persons, who are principally found in Bettiâ thâna [police-circle]. There are two Missions, one at Bettiâ, and the other at the village of Chuhârî, both supported by the Roman Catholic Church. The former was founded in 1746 by a certain Father Joseph, from Garingano in Italy, who went to Bettiâ on the invitation of the Mahârâja. The present number of converts is about 1,000 persons. Being principally descendants of Brahmans, they hold a fair social position; but some of them are extremely poor. About one-fourth are carpenters, one- tenth blacksmiths, one-tenth servants, the remainder carters. The Chuhârî Mission was founded in 1770 by three Catholic priests, who had been expelled from Nepal [after the Gôrkha conquest in 1768]. There are now 283 converts, mostly descendants of Nepâlis. They are all agriculturists, and very poor (Article 'Champâran District' in _Statistical Account of Bengal_, 1877). The statement in _I.G._ 1908, s.v. Bettiah, differs slightly, as follows: 'A Roman Catholic Mission was established about 1740 by Father Joseph Mary, an Italian missionary of the Capuchin Order, who was passing near Bettiah on his way to Nepâl, when he was summoned by Râjâ Dhruva Shah to attend his daughter, who was dangerously ill. He succeeded in curing her, and the grateful Raja invited him to stay at Bettiah and gave him a house and ninety acres of land.' The Bettiah Mission still exists and maintains the Catholic Mission Press, where publications illustrating the history of the Capuchin Missions have been printed. Father Felix, O.C., is at work on the subject. CHAPTER 3 Legend of the Nerbudda River.