much disorder
can prevail in a small territory like Oude without the gangs, to
which it must give rise, passing over the border to depredate upon
the bordering districts of its neighbours. The conterminous districts
on three sides belong to the British Government, and that on the
fourth or north belongs to Nepaul. The leaders of these gangs know,
that if the British Government chose to interpose and aid the Oude
Government with its troops, it could crush them in a few days; and
that it would do so if they ventured to rob and murder within its
territory. They know, also, that it would do the same if they
ventured to cross the northern border, and rob and murder within the
Nepaul territory. They therefore confine their depredations to the
Oude territory, seeing that, as long as they do so, the British
Government remains quiet.

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 mango-
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.

Poorae Chowdheree, of Kuchohee, held a share in the lands of the
village of Bhanpoor in Radowlee. He mortgaged it in 1830, to a co-
sharer, who transferred the mortgage to _Meherban Sing_, of
Guneshpoor. Poorae disliked the arrangement, and made all the
cultivators desert the village of Bhanpoor, and leave the lands
waste. Meherban attacked the village of Kuchohee in consequence,
killed Porae, and seized upon all the lands of Bhanpoor for himself.
Rajah Ram, one of the ousted co-sharers in these lands, attacked and
killed Meherban in 1832, and seized upon all the lands of Bhanpoor.

After the death of his first wife, Meherban had attacked the house of
Bhowanee Sing, Rajpoot, of Teur, carried off his daughter, who had
bee