fidelity to trusts—­Ahbun Sing, of Kyampoor, murders his father—­Rajah Singjoo of Soorujpoor—­ Seodeen, another leader of the same tribe—­Principal gang-leaders of the Dureeabad Rodowlee district—­Jugurnath Chuprassie—­Bhooree Khan—­ How these gangs escape punishment—­Twenty-four belts of jungle preserved by landholders always, or occasionally, refractory in Oude —­Cover eight hundred and eighty-six square miles of good land—­How such atrocious characters find followers, and landholders of high degree to screen, shelter, and aid them.

February 14, 1850.—­Peernuggur, ten miles south-east, over a plain of the same soil, but with more than the usual proportion of oosur.  Trees and groves as usual, but not quite so fine or numerous.  The Nazim of Khyrabad took leave of me on his boundary as we crossed it about midway, and entered the district of “Baree Biswa,” which is held in farm by Lal Bahader,* a Hindoo, who there met us.  This fiscal officer has under him the “Jafiree,” and “Tagfore” Regiments of nujeebs, and eight pieces of cannon.  The commandants of both corps are in attendance at Court, and one of them, Imdad Hoseyn, never leaves it.  The other does condescend sometimes to come out to look at his regiment when not on service.  The draft-bullocks for the guns have, the Nazim tells me, had a little grain within the last month, but still not more than a quarter of the amount for which the King is charged.  Peernuggur is now a place of little note upon the banks of the little river Sae, which here flows under a bridge built by Asuf-od Dowlah some sixty years ago.

[* This man was in prison at Lucknow as a defaulter, but made his escape in October, 1851, by drugging the sentry placed over him, and got safe into British territory.]

Gang-robberies are here as frequent as in Khyrabad, and the respectable inhabitants are going off in the same manner.  One which took place in July last year is characteristic of the state of society in Oude, and may be mentioned here.  Twelve sipahees of the 59th Regiment Native Infantry, then stationed at Bareilly, lodged here for the night, in a surae, on their way home on furlough.  Dal Partuk, a Brahmin by caste, and a man of strength and resolution, resided here and cultivated a small patch of land.  He had two pair of bullocks, which used to be continually trespassing upon other men’s fields and gardens, and embroiling him with the people, till one night they disappeared.  Dal Partuk called upon his neighbours, who had suffered from their trespasses, to restore them or pay the value, and threatened to rob, plunder, and burn down the town if they did not.