Page:Vizagapatam.djvu/78

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VIZAGAPATAM.

of troops. In this district his attentions were chiefly devoted to Mukki Vírabhadra Rázu of Kásipuram, Páyaka Rao of Páyakaraopéta and the zamindar of Pálkonda, and the action he took against them is referred to in the account of those three places in Chapter XV below.1[1] The two former were captured and the estate of the third was forfeited and became the present Pálkonda taluk.

To check further disturbances of the same kind Act XXIV of 1839 was passed and (see p. 196) seven-eighths of the district was removed from the operation of much of the ordinary law and administered directly by the Collector with extraordinary powers conferred upon him in the capacity of 'Agent to the Governor.' Several of the zamindaris in the south were from time to time bought in by Government at sales for arrears of revenue, and these were formed into the taluks of Golgonda and Sarvasiddhi, but the owners of the others were quieted permanently.

Since then there have been troubles or outbreaks of the hill people ('fitúris', as they are locally called) in the Golgonda hills in 1845-48, 1857-58, 1879-80, 1886 and 1891; in the Jeypore zamindari in 1849-50 and 1855-56; among the Savaras of Gunupur taluk in 1864 and 1865; and at Korravanivalasa in Sálúr taluk in 1900. These are all referred to in the accounts of those places in Chapter XV. In 1882 the Khonds of Kálahandi State rose against the Uriyas and murdered some hundreds of them. Luckily the invitation to join them, conveyed by the circulation of the head, fingers, hair, etc., of an early victim, was not accepted by the Khonds of this district, but the Párvatipur police reserve under Mr. Prendergast 2[2] took a prominent part in restoring order across the frontier. The zamindars in the plains have given no trouble since Pálkonda was forfeited for rebellion.



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  1. 1 See also Mr. Russell's full report on his commission printed in No. XXIV of the Selections from the Madras Records (Madras, 1856).
  2. 2 See his graphic narrative of events, printed in G.O., No. 952, Judicial, dated 14th August 1882.