UZVAR. 331 The last Peshwa, Baji Ráo, made his way to Nimár after his defeat in the Deccan, and surrendered to Sir John Malcolm in 1818. Asírgarlı, in which Apá Sahib), the former Raja of Nagpur, had taken refuge, was reduced by the British troops in the same year. The British thus acquired parganis Kánápur and Beriá as successors to the Peshwá, while Asirgarh and 17 villages round it were retained after the siege. e rest of Nimar came under our management by treaty with Sindhia in 1824. In 1854, several parginis were transferred from Hoshangábád to Nimár; and in 1860, Sindhia's partanús of Zainabád and Mánjrod, with the city of Burhanpur, were obtained by exchange. At the same time, all the parganiís which we had managed for Sindhia since 1824 became British in full sovereignty. Lastly, in 1867, 3 pargamis in the north-west corner of the District-Kasráwar, Dhargaon, and Barwái-together with Mandleswar, were transferred to Mahárájá Holkar in exchange for some territory in the Deccan. When the District of Nimár first came under British management in 1918, the country was nearly desolate. With the revival of peace, however, niany of the cultivators returned to their homes; and the Bhils, who at first proved troublesome, were quietcd, chiefly by the efforts of Captain (afterwards Sir James) Outram. Unfortunately, our early fiscal administration was unsuccessful. The District was greatly over-assessed, and the revenue farmed to speculators on short leases, while nothing was effected to assist the down-trodden cultivators. At length, in 1845, the farming system utterly broke down, and all the villages were again taken under direct management. The ancient hereditary pátels or village head-men regained their proper position; the cultivators were secured in possession at a moderate assessment; agriculture was encouraged; old tanks repaired and new ones constructed; and through the efforts chiefly of Captains French, Evans, and Keatinge, Nimár entered on a fresh period of prosperity. When the Mutiny broke out in 1857, Asirgarh and Burhanpur were garrisoned by a detachment of the Gwalior contingent. Major Keatinge collected a local force, and fortified the Kati Ghátí Pass on the southern road, besides the old fort at Punása, where the European families took refuge with the treasure. The Asirgarh troops were afterwards quietly disarmed by a detachment of Bombay infantry. In 1858, Tántiá Topi traversed the District with a numerous body of starving followers, who plundered the country on their way, and burned the police buildings at Píplod, Khandwa, and Mokalgaon. The people of the District, however, showed no signs of disaffection during the Mutiny. Population.- A rough enumeration in 1866 returned the population of Nimár at 190,561 souls. The more careful Census of 1872 disclosed 211,176. The last enumeration in 1881 returned the total population of Nimár District at 231,341, showing an increase since 1872 of
