GON
559
beyond the limits of his raj, on the very banks of the river, and the fort of Paska was held in his favour by Bodh Tiwari, who was killed after a stubborn resistance. The Path an was equally successful at Malona, where he defeated the Brahmans under Narain Datt Pande. He then pitched his camp on the Tirhi, to the west of Gonda, and occupied himself in plundering and driving off the herds of the neighbourhood. This was at the beginning of April, when the two great fairs at Debi Patau and Ajodhya had drawn off' a number of Raja Datt Singh's best fighting men, so he replied to the insolent challenge of his foe that he would be able to send in his revenue after the conclusion of the Ramnaumi festival. The requisite time was gained by negotiations, and finally Datt Singh marched forth from Gonda at the head of the Brahmans of his raj, and the whole of the Goraha Bisens of Mahadewa. The great family of Rdmapur Bisens, whose settlements extended all over the north of the pargana, are not mentioned in the ballad and as they were always somewhat jealous of the more fortu;
nate house of Gonda, it is probable that they held aloof The opposed forces met at Sarbhangpur, about six miles to the west of Gonda but the
Muhammadans were
by an
iireparable accident which had befallen them on the morning of the fight, their leader, while mounting a restive horse, was thrown, and broke his right arm. He made light of it himself, and, binding it up in a sling, put himself at the head of his troops. The battle, after a distant exchange of matchlock fires, resolved itself into a series of single combats, in which the bard does full justice For some time it seemed as if the Bisens to the bravery of Alawal Khan. would be defeated, and Datt Singh prepared to leave the field. The remonstrances of his brother restrained him, and a final effort was made by the Gorahas. Bhairon Rae, the same as had figured in the first meeting of the rivals, singled out Alawal Khan, and after a desperate fight clove On the fall of their chief, the nawab's troops fled, and his head open. Datt Singh was left master of the field. dispirited
—
His first act was to summon Bhairon Rae and ask him what favour he would take as a reward for his bravery. He replied that he and his family had always held the Mahadewa pargana in rent-free jaglr, and he now begged that the raja would grant him the zamindari in it. His request was granted, and from that time to this the Goraha Bisens have been in possession of all the zamindari rights in the pargana, such as ferry bazar dues, and natural products. I know no other instance which illustrates so clearly the identity of meaning in zamindari and government. Zamindari right in itself did not necessarily involve any proprietary right in the soil, and, as in this case, the whole title to rents might be alienated without making the. grantee in any sense of the word a zamindar. The distinctive features of that status were the imposition of taxes, the decision of disputes among the subjects, and the right to call out the clan forces attributes, according to an English point of view, of government, for war, full
fees,
—
and not of a private
proprietor.
The nawab did not accept as fina,l the defeat of his officer, and shortly Gonda was besieged by an imperial force. The garrison was
afterwards
straits, and Datt Singh prepared to sacrifice the women of his family, and imitate the fearful example so often set by the Chhattris
reduced to the last
