them. 'Those who escaped the sword were proclaimed as traitors; and, a reward being offered for their own with their adherents' heads, a sufficient number was soon collected to erect two shocking pyramidical monuments, called kulla-minár, near each of the provincial capitals.'*[1] Temporary ámins were for a time appointed in place of the refractory zamindars to collect the revenue; but the indolence and depravity of the ruling nation soon made it necessary to revert to the ancient system, and new zamindars were appointed. These quickly became guilty of the same outrages as their predecessors; and in later years their descendants caused constant disorders throughout the Northern Circars.
In 1748 the Subadar of the Deccan died; and a great Struggle followed for his place. The events of this contest relate less to the history of Gódávari than to that of the southern districts, and it is sufficient to note here that the French and English (who were now powers of importance) each took different sides, and that after many vicissitudes Salábat Jang became Subadar in 1751 through the influence and aid of the former. In his gratitude for their help, Salábat Jang ceded the Kondavíd country to them in 1752 and four of the Northern Circars (not Guntúr) in 1753. They had already (in 1750) been granted Masulipatam and the adjacent country; and Bussy, the French general, sent M. Moracin, the officer in charge at Masulipatam, instructions to take over the newly ceded territory.
Jafar Ali, governor of Chicacole, was however in no way disposed to surrender his position quietly to the French, and conspired with the Rája of Vizianagram, the most powerful of the renter-chiefs who had come into existence during the Musalman rule, to oppose M. Moracin's entry. The latter seduced the Rája from the compact by offering to lease him the Rajahmundry and Chicacole circars at a rate much below their value, and Jafar Ali then called in the aid of the Maráthas of Nagpore, who crossed the gháts with a large force, devastated both circars from end to end, and regained their own country by way of Ellore with an immense booty.
In July 1754 Bussy went in person to Masulipatam and Rajahmundry and restored order there. Some of the trouble-some zamindars were dismissed; efforts were made to ascertain the real revenue collections made by these renters and on this datum to found an adequate assessment; and they were required to maintain a sibbandi, or militia, of 12,000 men to keep the public peace, collect the rents, and, when called upon, to repel invasion.
- ↑ * Grant's Political Survey, etc., 143.
