This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1859 Excerpt: …and expense, to have the effect eventually of retarding shepherds from frequenting the districts, in the same way as their presence now, with the chiefs influence, is retarding the increase of cultivation. The difficulty of preventing the cattle from injuring the fields may be supposed, where, as is the case in the Desert, they are watered at about 3 p. M., and driven out into the jungle to graze all night, in charge of about one man per 100 or 150 head of cattle. Shortly after sunrise they are driven ‘back to the watering place or thurr, and kept there during the heat of the day. I have no means of ascertaining what the average amount of revenue from the grazing tax is in the Veerawow district, as it appears to be levied in a most irregular manner. Some shepherds give a few Rupees; others some ghee; others a bullock, cow, or camel, as the case may be. Hitherto, though the right has been recognised, it has been in no way defined, nor does it appear expedient to interfere in the matter, beyond affording redress when complaints are made of the exactions of the chiefs. As yet the only chief complained against, who in fact is the only one who levies any thing of sufficient consequence to make complaining probable, is the Veerawow Zemindar, and in his district a little inconvenience must arise occasionally, from the anomaly of antagonistic influences. Eventually, however, the grazing tax may be expected to dwindle away to a mere name, as cultivation increases; in the mean time, the greatest probability of maintaining harmony and contentment amongst all parties, appears to be by interfering as little as possible in the matter. The grazing tax appears to me in the light of a perquisite; whether or not it would have been better to have discouraged it more fro…
