—
BILASPUR.
449
and openly defied authority. Captain Lucie-Smith, however, at once proceeded to the spot, and the zam'mddr uncondition-
to his fastnesses
His e.xecution, and the confiscation of his property, checked any further opposition, which in so wild a country might have proved most harassing. Population In 1872, Bilaspur District, with an area of 7798 square miles, contained a population returned by the Census of that year at By 1881, the population, on the same area, had risen to 715,398. 1,017,327, or an increase of 301,929 (42’2 per cent.) in the nine years. This increase, however, is much more apparent than real, owing to very defective enumeration in 1872, particularly in the zamindari part of the District, where the work was left almost entirely in the hands of the zaminddrs. The population of the District in 1881 (1,017,327) was distributed throughout 3724 towns and villages ; number of houses, 290,299, of which 281,580 were inhabited and 8719 unoccupied;
ally
surrendered.
effectually
.
—
130-5 per square mile;
average density of population,
occupied
house,
3-61.
Divided
according
inmates per
were 513,281; proportion of males in According to religious classification,
504,046, and females total population, 49-6 per cent.
males
to
there
sex,
orthodox Hindus numbered 629,659; Kabirpanthis, 87,348; Satndmis, 133,086; Muhammadans, 9625; Sikhs, 10; Christians, 35; Jains, 17;
The most numerous of the aboriginal 157,547. Gonds, 123,928 in 1881, of whom 8811 were returned as Hindus, the remainder consisting of Bharias, Marias, Kurkus, Baigds, Among the Hindus, Brahmans numbered in 1881, 23,224; etc. Rajputs, 15,928; Kurmis, 41,327; Tells, 61,324; Ahi'rs or Gauh's, 84,546; Chamars, 95,020; Marars, 24,541; Dhobis, 15,178; and Kewats, 34,767. As regards the occupations of the people, the Census of 1881 classifies the male population into the following six main
aboriginal
tribes,
tribes is the
divisions:
(3)
—
(i) Professional class, including
learned
the
commercial
(4)
agricultural
class,
and
Government
officials
and
domestic servants, etc., 2724; including merchants, traders, carriers, etc., 3215
professions,
6715;
(2)
pastoral
including
class,
gardeners,
242,562
and other industrial classes, 29,551 (6) inand non-productive (comprising 8056 labourers and 211,223
(5) manufacturing, artisan,
definite
unspecified, including children), 219,279.
A
cloth of scanty dimensions forms the sole dress of a cultivator,
a cloth of larger size satisfies
women.
down
It
is
all
tightened at the waist;
to the knee, the other half
across the right shoulder.
is
few, except
For ornaments, a man
young Gond
II.
will
adopt a gold or
pride himself on a silver waist-
wear toe-rings or day rice and ddl
ladies,
classes habitually take three meals a
VOL.
and, while half hangs loosely
spread over the breast, and drawn
silver bracelet, or small ear-rings, or
band
and
the requirements of fashion for the
—
anklets. at
All
noon, rice 2 F
