SECTION 4.-CAMPAIGN AGAINST BONDI.

As already mentioned, there had been for several years a dispute between Budh Singh, Hādā, and his relation Bhim Singh, about the country of Bondi in Rajputānah. Budh Singh who was in possession, had thrown in his lot with Farrukhsiyar and Rajah Jai Singh, Sawae. Bhim Singh had sided with the minister and his brother. As a reward his restoration was now decided upon, Budh Singh having recently added to his former iniquities by himself assisting Girdhar Bahadur, the rebellious governor of Allahabad, and instigating Chatarsal, Bundelah, to do the same. On the 5th Muharram 1132 H. (17th November, 1719) Bhim Singh was sent on this enterprize and Dost Muhammad Khan, Afghan, of Malwah was, at the rajah's request, given a high mansab and placed under his orders. Sayyad Dilawar 'Ali Khan, bakhshi of Husain 'Ali Khan's army, who had lately returned from his expedition against the Jāts, received orders to proceed to Bondī with a well-equipped force of fifteen thousand horsemen. Gaj Singh of Narwar was also ordered to join. In addition to the avowed object of their march, they carried with them secret instructions to remain on the borders of Malwah until it was known whether their services might not be required in that direction. Bhim Singh had been promised the title of Maharajah and the rank 7,000, 7,000 horse, with the fish standard, if he took part in a successful campaign against Nizam-ul-mulk in Malwah.

On the 3rd Rabi' II, 1132 H. (12th February, 1720) the report was received that Rão Bhim Singh and Dilawar 'Ali Khan had fought a battle with the uncle of Rão Budh Singh, in which their opponent was defeated and slain, along with five or six thousand of his clan.4

GENEALOGICAL TABLE OF HADA RAJAHS OF KOTAH AND BONDI.

(Note A. to Section 4, Chapter VII.)

Anarudh Singh,

D. S. 1738 (1671 A D.) in the
Mogul service at Lahor or
Kābul. 'Ubaidullah, p. 304,
says 1762 S. (1707).

م

Bishn Singh,
[deprived of the Raj
and given ANTAH
as appanage.]

Pirthi Singh

X. Ajit Singh

D. S. 1816, 1759 A.D.

Rão Rājah Budh Singh, married to
a sister of Jai Singh, Sawae, in
1707. Lived long at Kabul with
Shah Alam, Mhd. Mu'azzam, who in
1707 made him Rao Rājah, mansab
3,000. Ejected 1730, died in exile
at Baigu, his 2nd wife's home, in XI. Chattar Sal,

XII. Guman Raj Singh. VIII. Arjun

adopted by
Durj n Sāl,
D. s.p shortly

after 1761.

Singh,
D. 1723.

Harnath Singh.

1

Syam Singh,
Killed Dec.
1723.

Umed Singh,

son of Budh Singh, recovered
Bondī, 1748, abdicated 1770,
D. 15th August 1804.

Ajit Singh,

The murderer of Rānā Ursi (1772)

died, circa 1778.

Kishn (or Bishn) Singh,

succeeded as an infant,

died 14th July 1821 of cholera, aged 48.

Rão Rajah Ram Singh, Installed August 1821 at the age of eleven,

Some Kolarian riddles current among the Mundaris in Chota Nagpur, Bengal.-By REV. PAUL WAGNER, G.E.L. Mission, Purulia.

[Read November 2nd, 1904.]

Since the time when Tickell first described the Ho dialect (J.A.S.B. 1840, Part II p. 997), the investigation into the Kolarian languages has made slow, but steady progress. The grammatical structure of some of the languages generally called "Kolarian" has been elaborated, as that of the Santali, Mundari and Asur languages. As the Kolarian languages were all unwritten the literature of course is very limited still. It consists in its greatest part of translations of the Bible, and the rest of it consists of tracts and some school-books. That certainly adds to a great extent to the knowledge of those languages, but much more has to be done yet.

It is astonishing how little these languages have been influenced by others. The Mundari language, for instance, is spoken now nearly as it was spoken centuries ago. The few foreign (Hindi and Bengali and a few other) words which are found here and there, are satisfactorily explained by the wanderings of this tribe. They came on their way into contact with other nations and adopted a few words and phrases and perhaps even some ideas from them. But on the whole that increase is very little, and when we hear a Mundari speaking to-day, we may be sure he speaks the language of his forefathers, and expresses his feelings and his ideas, as they did. One would certainly fail to understand these people, if one does not try to learn directly from them.

Most certainly they want education, and education alone can eusure that they are not absorbed by other natives. They have up to date kept separate from others and that shows that they have a right to exist, and so we have, when teaching them, at the same time to learn from them. Only thus they can develop, otherwise they will certainly degenerate. Who can deny that education very often has proved a curse instead of a blessing, and just in such measure as the teacher did not understand the pupil? The way of education is not the same for all, and education can further only if it leads to organic growth, if it develops: otherwise it will be a strange element and will only be a means of destroying the good which really exists; instead of a naturally grown plant, forced flowers will be produced, which have no long life and are destitute of the natural fragrance.

4

It is worth while to gather unwritten material; to bring such a contribution is the intention of the following pages.

On investigation I found amongst the Mundari-speaking people a great predilection for puzzling questions of their own. Most of them sound so strange that they can scarcely be understood without explánation. Some may have been accepted from other tribes, but those which seemed to me to be doubtful in their origin, have been excluded.

I give here a collection of 100, a number which could easily be doubled.

The horizon is very limited: the house, the field, the daily work, animals, plants, trees, the weather and the sky, that is nearly all they speak about; yet interesting, though sometimes very strange, are the comparisons they use.

1. Question. Honkō parpir, engā The children fly away, the mother

teteya?

Answer-Jō; jdaru.

remains ?

The fruit; the tree.

2. Q.-Engate dō lapua, honte The mother (is) weak, the child

4. Q.-Dubmē dirrā, disuming Sit down; fat fellow, I go fur

honortingtana ?

A.-Kakru.

ther to the country?

The cucumber (it is spoken to by the creeper.)

5. Q.-Sirmare gotkōā, otere Above (lit. in heaven) flocks, udarkōā?

A.-Madukam.

beneath (lit. on earth) they gather them (as they gather the cows and sheep at noon and at sunset, to drive them home, in flocks) ?

The flower of the Mahua tree.

6. Q.-Mayom dō sibilā, jilu do The blood is sweet, the flesh