NAGPUR DISTRICT. 169 fort overlooking the city. On the 24th June, the irregular cavalry were disarmed, and the men kept under surveillance in their own lines. In November they were again armed, and employed towards Sambalpur, where they performed their duties well. A squadron, which was con posed almost entirely of Maráthás, appears to have been implicated in this affair equally with the Musalmáns. In this crisis, the judgment and resolution of Mr. Ellis and liis coadjutor, Mr. Ross, averted a great calamity. In 1861, the 'Nagpur Province' was amalgamated with the 'Ságar and Narbadá Territories,' the whole forming the present Central Provinces, with the head-quarters of the administration at Nagpur city. Population.-A rough enumeration in 1866 returned the population, of Nagpur District at 639,341. The more careful Census of 1872 disclosed 631,109. The last Census in 1881 returned a total population of 697,356, showing an increase of 66,247, or 10“5 per cent., a considerable portion of which is due to immigration, owing to extended trading facilities and railway advantages. The results arrived at by the Census of 188ı may be briefly summarized as follows :Area of District, 3786 square miles, with 9 towns and 1673 villages, and 145.593 houses. Total population, 697,356, namely, nales 351,756, or 50°4 per cent, and females 345,600. Average density of population, 184'2 persons per square mile; villages per square mile, 44; persons per village, 415; houses per square mile, 38.5; persons per house, 4:8. Classified according to sex and age, there are-under 15 years of age, males 129,622, and females 125,342 ; total children, 254,954, or 366 per cent of the District population : 15 years and upwards, males 222,137, and females 220,258; total adults, 442,392, or 634 per cent. Religion.—Classified according to religion, the population of Nagpur District consists of Hindus, 598,441, or 858 per cent. ; Muhanmadans, 39,765, or 5-7 per cent. ; Kábírpanthis, 7371 ; Satnáinís, 416 ; Jains, 3564; Christians, 4850; Pársis, 178; Brahmos, 6; Buddhists, 5; Jews, 4; aboriginal tribes, nearly all Gonds, 42,750, or 6'i per cent. of the population; and others,' 6. Among Hindu castes, Brahmans number 21,028, and Rájputs 11,212. Chief among the lower castes of Hindus are the following:-Kurmi, the principal cultivating class, and most numerous caste in the District, 145,815; Mahár, 82,066; Teli, 54,491; Koshtá, 37,733; Máli, 27,610; Mehra, 18,884 ; Maráthá, 12,823; Gawari, 12,256; Dhimár, 12,222 ; Barhái, 11,527; Nái, 10,201; Sunri, S992 ; Sonár, 8975; Lodhí, 7956 ; Chamár, 7633 ; Dhobi, 6875; Baniya, 6528; Gadária, 5989; Baruí, 5425. The Muhammadan population are divided according to sect into–Sunnís, 38,086; Shiás, 1141 ; Wáhábís, 35; Faraizís, 8; and 'others,' 495.
