respectively, the zamindaris of Gútála, Pólavaram and Kottapalli. A hill zamindar of Nágavaram took a part in the English quarrel and opened hostilities by capturing Gútála in 1785. Troops had to be moved up to restore order, and some fighting took place. Somewhat similar disorders occurred in 1786, 1787 and 1790, and are described in more detail in the account of Pólavaram in Chapter XV.
These troubles were really in the nature of a family quarrel, and only incidentally involved resistance to Government. In 1794 Collectors replaced the Chiefs in Council, and since a famine had depopulated the country, the revenue due by the zamindars had been raised, and Government had resolved to be more stringent in the collection of its dues than hitherto, these new officers met with considerable opposition in the discharge of their duties. Difficulties in Peddápuram and Pithápuram were solved without bloodshed; but the renters of Mogalturru estate (near Narasapur in Kistna district) raised a serious outbreak.
This property had been administered by Government since 1787, and a petty insurrection occurred there in 1791. At the end of that year it had been resumed by Government and leased out to renters. These people would not pay their dues, and were imprisoned and sent to Conjeeveram. They escaped thence and made their way to Hyderabad territory, their families also flying from Mogalturru to Bhadráchalam. The zamindar of that place and the amildar at Kammamet in Hyderabad assisted the fugitives, who succeeded in collecting a force of 2,000 peons and making an incursion into the district in July 1795. They marched by way of Yernagúdem to Mogalturru. The Collector was nearly surprised in his house; and was unable to attempt an armed resistance. The party, however, behaved with great moderation, committed no excesses whatever, and, on being assured by the Collector that a memorial of what they considered their wrongs would be forwarded to the Board of Revenue, returned to Bhadráchalam. Little further came of this disturbance; the memorial was dismissed, and the malcontents (who continued at Bhadráchalam) made no further incursion. In September of the same year some of their peons attacked Chagallu, on the other side of the river facing Rajahmundry, but were easily dispersed. A petty disturbance was also created in 1798 by a revenue defaulter who had fled the country along with the Mogalturru renters. He proceeded with 200 or 300 pikemen as far as Undi (near Bhimavaram), where he brutally murdered the tánáhdár; but he retreated into Hyderabad territory on the arrival of troops.
