[* The pucka-beega in Oude is about the same as that which prevails over our North-Western Provinces, two thousand seven hundred and fifty-six and a quarter square yards, or something more than one-half of our English statute acre, which is four thousand eight hundred and forty square yards.  This pucka-beega takes of seed-wheat one maund, or eighty pounds; and yields on an average, under good tillage, eight returns of the seed, or eight maunds, or six hundred and forty pounds, which, at one rupee the maund, yields eight rupees, or sixteen shillings.  The stock required in Oude in irrigated lands is about twenty rupees the pucka-beega.  The rent on an average two rupees.  In England an acre, on an average, requires two and three-quarter bushels of seed wheat, or one hundred and seventy-six pounds, or two maunds and sixteen seers, and yields twenty-four bushels, or one thousand five hundred and thirty-six pounds.  This at forty shillings the quarter (512 lbs.) would yield six pounds sterling.  The stock required in England is estimated at ten pounds Sterling per acre, or ten times the annual rent.  It is difficult to estimate the rate of rent on land in England, since the reputed owner is said to be “only the ninth and last recipient of rent.”]

On reaching camp, I met, for the first time, the great landholder, Nawab Allee, of Mahmoodabad.  In appearance, he is a quiet gentlemanly man, of middle age and stature.  He keeps his lands in the finest possible state of tillage, however objectionable the means by which he acquires them.  His family have held the estates of Mahmoodabad and Belehree for many generations as zumeendars, or proprietors; but they have augmented them greatly, absorbing into them the estates of their weaker neighbours.*

[* Akram Allee and Muzhur Allee inherited the estate in two divisions.  Akram Allee got Mahmoodabad, and had two sons, Surufraz Allee, who died without issue, before his father; and Mosahib Allee, who succeeded to the estate, but died without issue.  Muzhur Allee got the estate of Belehree, and had two sons, Abud Allee, and Nawab Allee.  Abud Allee succeeded to the estate of Belehree, and Nawab Allee to that of Mahmoodabad by adoption.]

Akram Allee held Mahmoodabad, and was succeeded in the possession by his son, Mosahib Allee, who died about forty years ago, leaving the estate to his widow, who held it for twenty-eight years up to A.D. 1838, when she died.  She had, the year before, adopted her nephew, Nawab Allee, and he succeeded to the estate.  The Belehree estate is held by his elder brother, Abud Allee, who is augmenting it in the same way, but not at the same rate.  I may mention a few recent cases, as illustrative of the manner in which such things are done in Oude.