for the place and sent him with a note to the Collector. Mr. Porter saw the applicant in person and was generally satisfied with him. But Sashiah appeared to be so young-he was barely twenty-three-and could he manage such a notoriously troublesome taluq? The youthful aspirant, like one far greater before him, replied in a respectful tone that youth, if a fault, was one that would wear away with time, that with the Collector to back him up and gently guide him when he went wrong, he could confidently take charge of more than one taluq like the one in question. Mr. Porter was pleased with Sashiah's manly bearing and pleasing address, and at the close of the interview wrote and signed the order of appointment and sent him back with these words : 66 Young man, when an hour back you entered this room you were an ordinary clerk. You now go a Tahsildar-the responsible wielder of the destinies of a taluq. I hope you will justify my choice." Sashiah thanked him for his kindness and promised to do his best. That very evening he took charge. CHAPTER III. IN MASULIPATAM. Mr. George Norton who heard from Sashiah of his rapid promotion to the dignity of a Tahsildar wrote back expressing his gratification on receipt of the welcome intelligence and giving him excellent advice: MY DEAR SASHIAH, 'MADRAS, 23rd June, 1851.. I am most gratified to hear that your generous patron has so soon provided you with so eminent a post. See what comes of confidence in worthy and influential men and from scorning that mean avidity for small present gains, which has been the bane of several of your brethren of the High School. And now high fortunes are before you, if you are firm to your good principles and resist all temptations to deviate from the path of rectitude and duty. Bad examples and habits of fraud and peculation will be before and around you on all sides. Your elevation-the public esteem-will depend on whether you prove yourself above those allurements. You are young-recollect that-and be not conceited, or imperious to others nor undervalue them. But be reserved in matters of business-however affable in other matters, and polite in all matters. Let people know you more by your acts than your talk. Make a point of thoroughly understanding all your business in every detail-but be not forward in showing that you understand it. In all you write, or report, or communicate with your superiors, be sure of your fact and don't accuse, nor suggest on mere surmises. I need not exhort you generally to exert yourself in promotion of education. I do not think you will descend to the level of some who, owing everything to what others have done for them, in supplying them with a superior education, are satis-fied to enjoy the fruits in ungrateful idleness. Be assured of my regard. I shall always be glad to hear from you, and believe me faithfully yours GEO. NORTON. Congratulations also poured in from his school friends. A few of these are worth perusal. Dinadayalu, to whom reference has been made in the previous chapter, writes: 66 Mighty changes have come upon your pros pects. You have been duly rewarded for the tiresome travels, face-blakening survey and the monotonous drudgery at the desk which you described in your last note to me. I have heard that you but very lately got an increase of 10 Rupees to your salary-and may I tell you that you seem to have a hold on the mind of Mr. Elliot who, I hear, has told Mr. Cunliff that you accepted your present post not from the love of lucre or the emoluments of the office, but to show what great improvements could be effected by an intelligent and honest Tahsildar And V. Ramiengar, who was now Head Munshee of the Collectorate of Nellore, thus expresses himself: "My congratulations on your promotion are not the less warm for coming so late. I was quite prepared for some such news from you and your appointment by no means surprised me. I am now anxious to hear how you get on, for you must find yourself in a dreadfully strange position. It is commonly believed that an honest, upright, kind-hearted man can never make a good Tahsildar. Whatever may be your opinion on the subject, the Tahsildars around me in this District help to confirm me in the belief. The greatest rogues pass off for the cleverest and honestest of men and really sensible and straightforward people for the veriest dunces. Pray tell me how you get on." Fifty years ago the Tahsildar was a far more important person than his lineal representative of to-day. Within the limits of his authority he was regarded as a god. Men approached him with awe. If he went out on circuit, the people of the place he went to turned out in a respectable body to receive him in a fitting manner. If he appeared in the streets, men bent their heads low and made a profound obeisance. In the day-time he generally kept at home and attended to such official work as was brought to his notice by his confidential clerks. In the evening he went to the office to hold Court. The premises of the office would then be thronged with clients, petitioners, and chaprassees with huge turbans and glittering dawalis. At sight of the magnate, the crowd made way with bated breath and respectful salaam. He passed in scarcely noticing the worshipping multitude and sat in a dignified attitude on a carpet seat, reclining gracefully on a cushioned support. In two rows in front of him were seated the clerks on mats spread on the ground; before them were low desks on which were bundles of papers with which their goose quills were busy at work. Then the Court began with the imposing ceremony of torch-light salaam. This institution was the prerogative of kings and others high in power-a sort of Carnatic durbar held every evening. The servants and peons, the duffadar with the broad-brimmed head-gear-in fact all the lower ranks of the establishment with their distinctive badges-stood in respectful array to do honour to the presiding deity. The hall was in a blaze of light with torches which the torchbearers held in their right hand and kept alive with pretty frequent supplies of oil from a handy oil-can they held in their left. Then the servants bent low to the earth, touched the ground with their right fingers and made a most submissive salaam hailing the Chief in one acclamation'Jai Maharaj - Victory to the king of kings.' This programme was the humblest of the kind. It was much grander with Rajas, Chieftains and heads of Mutts, who maintained all the paraphernalia of royalty. The band of native music struck up. Bards and eulogists sung forth, each 6 |