of influential middle class of merchants and manufacturers—­Suttee—­Troops with the Amil—­Seizure of a marriage procession by Imambuksh, a gang leader—­Perquisites and allowances of Passee watchmen over corn-fields—­Their 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.

CHAPTER VI.

Adventures of Maheput Sing of Bhowaneepoor—­Advantages of a good road from Lucknow to Fyzabad—­Excellent condition of the artillery bullocks with the Frontier Police—­Get all that Government allows for them—­Bred in the Tarae—­Dacoits of Soorujpoor Bareyla—­The Amil connives at all their depredations, and thrives in consequence—­The Amil of the adjoining districts does not, and ruined in consequence—­ His weakness—­Seetaram, a capitalist—­His account of a singular Suttee—­Bukhtawar Sing’s notions of Suttee, and of the reason why Rajpoot widows seldom become Suttees—­Why local authorities carry about prisoners with them—­Condition of prisoners—­No taxes on mangoe-trees—­Cow-dung cheaper than wood for fuel—­Shrine of “Shaikh Salar” at Sutrik—­Bridge over the small river Rete—­Recollection of the ascent of a balloon at Lucknow—­End of the pilgrimage.

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Private Correspondence subsequent to the Journey through the Kingdom of Oude, and relating to the Annexation of Oude to British India.

DIARY

A TOUR THROUGH OUDE.

CHAPTER I.

Sundeela—­The large landholders of the district—­Forces with the Amil—­Tallookdars, of the district—­Ground suited for cantonments and civil offices—­Places consecrated to worship—­Kutteea Huron—­Neem Sarang, traditions regarding—­Landholders and peasantry of Sundeela—­ Banger and Sandee Palee, strong against the Government authorities from their union—­Nankar and Seer.  Nature and character of—­ Jungle—­Leaves of the peepul, bur, &c., used as fodder—­Want of good houses and all kinds of public edifices—­Infanticide—­Sandee district—­Security of tenure in groves—­River Gurra—­Hafiz Abdulla, the governor—­Runjeet Sing, of Kutteearee—­Thieves in the Banger district—­Infanticide—­How to put down the crime—­Palee—­Richness of the foliage, and carpeting of spring crops—­Kunojee Brahmins—­Success of the robber’s trade in Oude—­Shahabad—­Timber taken down the little river Gurra to the Ganges, from the Tarae forest—­Fanaticism of the Moosulman population of Shahabad; and insolence and impunity with which they oppress the Hindoos of the town.