AME
49
exception of a few estates which enjoyed the protection of the Huzfif Tahsil. From this time he applied himself principally to the consolidation of his now immense domains. Those who readily bowed their heads to the new yoke were maintained in possession, unless they were so untlie
friended, or their credit
was so poor, that they could not furnish the cuspayment of their rent; in which case they were without hesitation set aside. The hhayyas* had their villages either handed over to some experienced lessee accustomed to large and troublesome charges, or to the commandants of the nazim's troops, who took a " qabz" of them, Kannu Kasrawan and Shahgarh alone gave any serious trouble the proprietor of the former was not finally overpowered until after three years of stout resistance the latter, though it at first lost its independence, recovered it a few months before annexation.
tomary security
for the
In the land settlement which then took place, Amethi shared the fate of most large taluqas, and was almost completely broken up, but only to be re-constituted in the following year, immediately after the mutiny. At the commencement of the disturbances, Rftja Madho Singh distinguished himself by the protection and kindness he afforded to some fugitives from Sultanpur, who were endeavouring to make their way into Allahabad j but afterwards he warmly espoused the rebel cause ; nor was it, until the British army under the command of Lord Clyde, was encamped before his fort, that he tendered his submission. At the land settlement, which ehortly afterwards took place, he was admitted under the terms of the general amnesty to engage for his estate, and it is now confirmed to him by sanad. It comprises 321 out of 364 villages in the pargana, and pays to Government a revenue of Rs. 1,96,776.
The
present owner of the Amethi estate is ordinarily and correctly styled but how long the title has been in the family I cannot pretend to say with certainty. Raj Singh and his descendants may quite possibly have borne it for many generations there is no tangible proof that they did Gurdatt Singh, the first of those who not, and as little that they did. lived recently enough to be well remembered, is sometimes spoken of as babu, sometimes as raja Drigpal Singh, his successor, appears to have assumed the more lofty title, but it is doubtful whether he ever obtained any popular recognition of his right to it. Har Chand Singh and Bisheshwar Singh were unquestionably rdjas they are said to have formally received the necessary investiture from the Hasanpur chief It is interesting to notice that the seal of the former (in which he bears this title) was engraved in the same year apparently as he obtained the lease of the pargana. rdja
Dalpat Sah, intermediate between Har Chand Singh and Bisheshwar is commoidy called babu, the explanation given of which is, that during the time he held the estate, his father Har Chand Singh was alive, and that it would consequently have been a breach of etiquette for him to adopt the title of raja. Singh,
The present taluqdar never
troubled himself to get his claim to the
The brotherhood.
