MYSORE , CANARA, AND MALABAR. 6 47

to believe, that the preference given to a divifion of crops arifes from the facility whichthat plan offers for defrauding the government.

The-office of Gauda was originally hereditary ; but nowthefe perfons are appointedby the Amildar, and continue in place fo long as they keep up the collections to theirfuppofed value, or until fome other man undertakes, by bringing a greater number offarmers, to make the revenue more productive. The Gauda fettles all difputes in the famemanner as the hereditary chiefs of caffs do. His council always confifts of four elders.In cafe of any delinquency in the village, the Gauda and his council inffruct theShanaboga, or accomptant, to write out a ftatement of the cafe, and to tranfmit it tothe Amildar for his information and decifion. He frequently advances monev for theother farmers, to enable them to pay their rents, and has the whole of their crops ashis fecurity. The whole remuneration for his trouble, fo far as is avowed, is thefhare which he receives in the divifion of the wet crops.

The Shanaboga, called Shanbogue by corruption, and Curnum by the Muffulmans,is the accomptant of the village. He is always a Brahman, and his office is hereditary..He is under the orders of the chief of the village, who is almoft always a Sudra ;.but the allowances of the accomptant are greater, as he muff give up the whole ofhis time to bufinefs. He keeps all the accompts, and writes all the letters as dictatedto him by the chief of the village. Thefe two officers ought to be a mutual check onthe conduCt of each other.

The fervants under the chief and accomptant of the village are the Toti, Talliari,Nirgunty, Tarugara, and Alitigara.

The office of thfc Toti and Talliari is the fame; but the firft is of the "Whalliarucaff, and the fecond is either a Madiga or a Bayda. Thefe perfons hold their placesby hereditary right, and are the watchmen of the village. They are fent on allmeffages, and as guides for perfons travelling on public bufinefs. They watch thecrops in the day-time, and affift the farmers to do fo at night. Their moltpeculiar duty, however, is to afcertain the boundaries of each field, and of eachfarmer’s poffeffion.

The Nirgunty is generally a Whallia ; but fometimes a Sudra holds the office,,which is hereditary. His duty is, to divide the water of the tank or canal, and toconvey the proper fhare to each man’s field. He, of courfe, has the charge of thelluices, and of the fmall canals and drains for watering the fields. He alfo affifts inwatching the crops.

The Tarugara, or Aduca, collects the farmers, and prevents them from followingany other occupation than that of cultivating the land. The lower claffes of peoplein India are like children; and, except in the more confiderable places, where theymeet with uncommon encouragement to induftry from Europeans, are generallyin fuch a ftate of apathy, that, without the orders of government, they willhardly do any thing. The duty of the Aduca is to buftle among the farmers,and to call them out to work. He may therefore be called the beadle of the village.

4th July. — I went three coffes to Sirja-pura, one of the manufacturing townsdependent on Bangalore . The weavers of Sirja-pura are of the caffs called Devangas,Shalay, and Togotaru. The cloths were formerly made of a very fine quality, butat prefent the only demand is for coarfe goods. The merchants here aft merely asbrokers, and the weavers frequently carry their own goods for fale to Bangalore .Purchafes are made here by traders from Seringapatam , Sira, Chatrakal, Codeal,Savanuru, Gubi, Bangaluru , Colar, Malavagul, Cangundy, Hoffo-cotay,, Bala-pura,

Tumcuru,.