218 
a kitchin rolling-pin. These revolve in different 
directions, the iron roller being turned as fast as 
possible by a woman who has no otber occupation, 
while the wooden one is more slowly turned by a 
woman who uses her other hand to feed the gin, 
The machiue is kept steady by one or two large 
stones laid on a tail bar projecting from the back of 
the frame. A gin is said to cost about Rs. 1. 12 as., 
of which the blacksmith Claims a rupee for the 
iron rod or roller, and the carpenter the remaining 
twelve annas. Two women in a good day can 
clean about 15 lbs. of cotton, and they are usually 
paid in cash according to the weight of seed sepa- 
rated, and occasionally in kind. Large Companies 
work in sheds, accompanied by numbers of chil- 
dren of all ages, whose presence is often made an 
excuse for the slovenly way in which the work is 
done. 
760 (5,215). The Hingunghat “ Churka.”—One of the 
simplest machines for cleaning cotton is the Hin 
gunghat “ churka,” which has two wooden rollers 
turned in different directions from one handle 
by means of an ingenious use of a double screw. 
This is worked by one woman, who sits behind 
the frame, on the stones, which keep it steady. It 
is much inferior to the usual Berar “ rechi,” and, 
excepting cheapness, possesses no particular merit. 
The rollers are tightened up by means of wedges 
and bits of stick thrust under a wooden chuck in 
the slot of the frame in which they are set, and 
they are slightly thicker at one end. This is not 
used in West Berar, but extensively about Hin 
gunghat. 
761 (5,216). Fillingthe “ Docra.”—A “ docra ” holds 
about 140 lbs. of cotton, and itis filled much in the 
same way as woolbags are filled on English sheep- 
farms. The gunny bag is slung in some conve- 
nient place—often, as in the sketch, in a corner of 
the ginning shed—and the cotton is trampled down 
by a man standing inside. The bag is usually 
wetted first, and the reason given for this bad 
practice is that the cotton packs better. The real 
reasons are that an inferior quality of gunny can be 
used while wet, and that the moisture adds to the 
weight. It is certain that the water injures the staple 
to some extent, especially when the filled bags are 
piled in close heaps. Eueopean merchants, agents, 
and officials of the cotton frauds department have 
tried in vain to put down this practice, which is 
chenshed by the conservative native. 
762 (5,217, 5,218). Going to Market and a halt by 
the way.—The Word “ bojha ” (a bullock load) has 
come to be accepted as a commercial unit. Cotton 
is sold at so much per “ bojha ”—about 280 lbs., 
contained in two “ docras ” or bags. Few ani- 
mals possess the powers of endurance of the In 
dian bullock, who steadily plods along under his 
bürden, day after day, with roadside grazing 
and a few sheaves of “kurbi” (dry “jowari” 
stalks) by way of provender. Cotton is brought 
in this way from great distances to the Berar mar- 
kets, sometimes, indeed, from upwards of two 
hundred miles. The pack bullocks, like those used 
by the “ Wunjaris ” for this and other merchandise 
travel in Companies, a few carrying bells, as pack- 
horses used to do in England. The saddles are 
ornamented on their conical peak, which resembles 
that of the horse, “ ekkas,” in the N.W. Provinces 
with an embroidered herring-bone pattem, neatly 
worked in thick coloured cotton, or with a patcli 
of gay cotton print, and also with a tuft of horse 
liair, or a feather or two. When halting, the 
“ docras ” are piled together, and the men sleep on 
the lee side. It is hardly needful to point out how 
much the cotton suffers on these long marches 
where the hot, dust-laden winds penetrate the 
pervious gunny bags, and coat the cotton with 
fine sand. It suffers, too, from being rolled on 
the ground, wet or dry, but it also gathers a little 
weight. The figures in these sketches are not of 
the Wunjara caste, none of whom happened to be 
about at the time of my visit. Their heads are 
muffled up in cloths as a protection against the 
sun, dust, and hot winds. This has an odd appear- 
anee, but it is an invariable and most necessary 
practice. 
763 (5,219). Going to Market (Bullock cart).—The 
bullock cart of India is made after many diverse 
fashions, and its capacity varies continually. The 
cart shown in the sketch is one of the older kind. 
contrived with no axletree; so that while the 
wheels are buried to their centres in deep ruts, it 
matters little what obstructions may lie between 
them. It is bound all over with strips of liide neatly 
interlaced, and it is braced and pulled together by 
many involved turns of leathern and hempen eords. 
There is a good deal of ornamental brasswork about 
some specimens, for it is useful in festivities and 
for diversion, as well as in the field or market. 
The driver has a cleverly contrived Seat on the 
shaft or pole, which is formed of several poles 
skilfully bound together with hide and turned in 
a graceful curve, which secures strength and elas- 
ticity. Other carts are of squarer, simpler form 
(some are shown in sketch No. 5,221). The strong- 
est cart, which in the Berars is said to be of Madras 
pattem (but this is by no means certain), can carry 
ten docras; but the ordinary Marathi cart is 
heavily loaded with eight. Many are only equal 
to four or five, and there are usually several carts 
in the Khangaun and other markets which have 
brought only one “ docra.” 
764 (5,220). Going to Market (Camel). In the 
Berars camels are much used for the conveyance 
of cotton. Each camel carries twice the load of 
a bullock—i.e., four docras or 560 lbs. The swifter 
breed is also employed to carry cotton telegrams 
“ rui-ka-tar,” into the inferior from the markets 
and depöts, when they cover immense distances at 
great speed. The pack camels travel slowly in 
strings, and when loaded they strongly resent hills. 
“ Which is best for you, O camel! to go up-hill or 
down ?” Quoth the camel, “ May God’s curse 
rest on both, wherever met!” 
765 (5,221). Waiting for an Offer. (Khangaum 
Cotton Market). It is by no means easy to make 
the cultivator who brings his cotton to market, 
or the “ dalal ” to whom he deputes the task of 
bargaining for him, understand how it can be that 
the same quality of cotton which was sold for, say 
rupees 90 per bojha the day before yesterday, is 
only worth some 88 or 86 rupees to-day. The 
rapid operations of the telegraph, when they lower 
prices, perplex and disgust him, and the Khangaum 
merchants have learned by experience that so long 
as the “ ryot ” remains perched on the top of his 
“ akha ” there is little chance of coming to terms 
with him. There he sits in themorning sun, while 
the European merchants lounge about with an air 
of indifference, and “ shroffs, dullals,” factotums, 
agents of all sorts are busily arguing and per- 
suading, quoting telegrams and the last Liverpool