ub Allee, at Lucknow, with orders never to approach
the presence. Captain Bird, in a letter, confirms this report.

_December_ 11, 1849.--Left Bahraetch and came south-east to Imaleea,
on the road to Gonda, over a plain in the Pyagpoor estate, almost
entirely waste. Few groves or single trees to be seen; scarcely a
field tilled or house occupied; all the work of the same atrocious
governor, Rughbur Sing. No oppressor ever wrote a more legible hand.

The brief history of the management of this district for the last
forty-three years, is as follows. The district consisted in 1807, of

Khalsa Lands Present Khalsa Lands
Bahraetch . . . 2,50,000 4,000
Hissampoor . . . 2,00,000 40,000
Hurhurpoor . . . 1,25,000 10,000
Buhareegunge . . . 1,50,000 15,000
________ ______
7,25,000 69,000
________ ______

The contract was held by Balkidass Kanoongoe, for five years, from
1807 to 1811, when he died, and was succeeded in the contract by his
son, Amur Sing, who held it till 1816. In the end of that year, or
early in 1817, Amur Sing was seized, put into confinement, and
murdered by Hakeem Mehndee, who held the contract for 1817 and 1818.
In the year 1816, Hakeem Mehndee, who held the contract for the
Mahomdee district, at four lacs of rupees a-year, and that for
Khyrabad at five, heard of the great wealth of Amur Sing, and the
fine state to which he and his father had brought the district by
good management; and offered the Oude government one lac of rupees a-
year more than he paid for the contract for the ensuing year. Hakeem
Mehndee resided chiefly at the capital of Lucknow, on the pretence of
indisposition, while his brother, Hadee Allee Khan, managed the two
districts for him. He had acquired a great reputation by his
judicious management of these two districts, and become a favourite
with the King, by the still more skilful management of a few male and
female favourites about his Majesty's person. The minister, Aga Meer,
was jealous of his growing fame and favour, and persuaded the King to
accept the offer, in the hope that he would go himself to his new
charge, in order to make the most of it. As soon as he heard of his
appoint