Fatally for the natives of India, every wild project and every corrupt sale of Mr. Hastings, and those whose example he followed, is covered with a pretended increase of revenue to the Company.  Mr. Hastings would not pocket his bribe of 40,000_l._ for himself without letting the Company in as a sharer and accomplice.  For the province of Rungpore, the object to which I mean in this instance to confine your attention, 7,000_l._ a year was added.  But lest this avowed increase of rent should seem to lead to oppression, great and religious care was taken in the covenant so stipulated with Debi Sing, that this increase should not arise from any additional assessment whatsoever on the country, but solely from improvements in the cultivation, and the encouragement to be given to the landholder and husbandman.  But as Mr. Hastings’s bribe, of a far greater sum, was not guarded by any such provision, it was left to the discretion of the donor in what manner he was to indemnify himself for it.

Debi Sing fixed the seat of his authority at Dinagepore, where, as soon as he arrived, he did not lose a moment in doing his duty.  If Mr. Hastings can forget his covenant, you may easily believe that Debi Sing had not a more correct memory; and accordingly, as soon as he came into the province, he instantly broke every covenant which he had entered into as a restraint on his avarice, rapacity, and tyranny, which, from the highest of the nobility and gentry to the lowest husbandmen, were afterwards exercised, with a stern and unrelenting impartiality, upon the whole people.  For, notwithstanding the province before Debi Sing’s lease was, from various causes, in a state of declension, and in balance for the revenue of the preceding year, at his very first entrance into office he forced from the zemindars or landed gentry an enormous increase of their tribute.  They refused compliance.  On this refusal he threw the whole body of zemindars into prison, and thus in bonds and fetters compelled them to sign their own ruin by an increase of rent which they knew they could never realize.  Having thus gotten them under, he added exaction to exaction, so that every day announced some new and varied demand, until, exhausted by these oppressions, they were brought to the extremity to which he meant to drive them, the sale of their lands.

The lands held by the zemindars of that country are of many descriptions.  The first and most general are those that pay revenue; the others are of the nature of demesne lands, which are free, and pay no rent to government.  The latter are for the immediate support of the zemindars and their families,—­as from the former they derive their influence, authority, and the means of upholding their dignity.  The lands of the former description were immediately attached, sequestered, and sold for the most trifling consideration.  The rent-free lands, the best and richest lands of the whole province, were sold,—­sold for—­what