‘Did the water in your well fail during the late seasons of drought?’

‘No, sir, the water of this well never fails.’

‘Then how did bad seasons affect you?’

’My bullocks all died one after the other from want of fodder, and I had not the means to till my lands; subsistence became dear, and to maintain my family, I was obliged to contract the debt for which my lands are now mortgaged.  I work hard to get them back, and, if I do not succeed, my children will, I hope, with the blessing of God.’[13]

The next morning I went on to Kaka, fifteen miles; and finding tents, people, and cattle, without a tree to shelter them, I was much pleased to see in my neighbourhood a plantation of mango and other fruit-trees.  It had, I was told, been planted only three years ago by Hiraman and Motiram, and I sent for them, knowing that they would be pleased to have their good work noticed by any European gentleman.  The trees are now covered with cones of thatch to shelter them from the frost.  The merchants came, evidently much pleased, and I had a good deal of talk with them.

‘Who planted this new grove?’

‘We planted it three years ago.’

‘What did your well cost you, and how many trees have you?’

’We have about four hundred trees, and the well has cost us two hundred rupees, and will cost us two hundred more.’

‘How long will you require to water them?’

’We shall require to water the mango and other large trees ten or twelve years; but the orange, pomegranate, and other small trees will always require watering.’

‘What quantity of ground do the trees occupy?’

’They occupy twenty-two “bighas” of one hundred and five “jaribs”.  We place them all twelve yards from each other, that is, the large trees; and the small ones we plant between them.’

‘How did you get the land?’

’We were many years trying in vain to get a grant from the Government through the collector; at last we got him to certify on paper that, if the landholder would give us land to plant our grove upon, the Government would have no objection.  We induced the landholder, who is a constituent of ours, to grant us the land; and we made our well, and planted our trees.’

‘You have done a good thing; what reward do you expect?’

’We hope that those who enjoy the shade, the water, and the fruit, will think kindly of us when they are gone.  The names of the great men who built the castles, palaces, and tombs at Delhi and Agra have been almost all forgotten, because no one enjoys any advantage from them; but the names of those who planted the few mango groves we see are still remembered and blessed by all who eat of their fruit, sit in their shade, and drink of their water, from whatever part of the world they come.  Even the European gentlemen remember their names with kindness; indeed, it was at the suggestion of a European gentleman,