Page:Twelve men of Bengal in the nineteenth century (1910).djvu/222

How largely the prosperity of Morelgunj was due to the tact and energy of Robert Morrel himself was seen as soon as his presence was withdrawn. His health had been seriously impaired by his great exertions in bringing the estate under cultivation and he finally decided to retire to England, leaving his brothers and an agent in charge of his affairs. Troubles which threatened to undo all the good work he had done speedily occurred after his departure. A dispute arose between his agent and a neighbouring Zemindar which not only brought the former into trouble with the authorities but involved the estate in long and costly litigation in the Courts. More unfortunate still many of the tenants who had been attracted by the fertility of the soil were frightened away by these disputes, which had more than once led to bloodshed. Hearing of these unfortunate occurrences Robert Morrel, in spite of ill health, returned to Morelgunj. There he found that affairs had indeed been going badly in his absence. Many of the tenants had abandoned their holdings and much of the land which he had brought under cultivation was lying fallow, and in places rapidly falling back again into jungle. With characteristic energy he set to work to regain, lost ground and to put things once more upon a satisfactory footing, but in the midst of his labours he died at Barisal on the 13th of May 1869. An obelisk erected at Morrelgunj by his tenants