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THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY
[ JULY, 1921
Public officers in the 17th century, whether Asiatic or European, were not overscru
pulous. But good kings as a rule kept a strict vigilance over them. Corruption and
Shivaji in particular was served by a very efficient intelligence Tyrannys.
department. It is an old practice in India to employ spies to watch over the conduot of government servants.86 The work of the District and Provincial officers was supervised by Pant Amatya and Pant Sachiv. Ranade tells us that "The District accounts had to be sent to these officers, and were there collated together, and irregularities detected and punished. These officers had power to depute men on their establishments to supervise the working of the District officers,"87 Shivaji, moreover, was very keen about the success of his government and wanted his administration to compare favourably with those of his Muhammadan neighbours. 88 But all his care and sound regulations were fruitless indeed if his, revenue officers really acted as arbitrarily as Fryer says they did. "They are neither for publick good, or common honesty, but their own private interest only. They refuse no base offices for their own commodity, inviting merchants to come and trade among them, and then rob them or else turmoil them on account of customs; always in a corner getting more for themselves than their master, yet openly must seem mighty zealous for their Master's dues: 80 that trade is unlikely to settle where he hath anything to do; notwithstanding his country lies all along on the sea-shore, and no goods can be transported without his permission; unless they go a great way about, as we are foroed to do."
This is by no means the worst that the English traveller has to say against the
Maraths officers. He continues—" It is a general calamity, Fryer's charges.
Sed and much to be deplored to hear the eomplaints of the poor people that remain, of are rather compelled to endure the slavery of Seva Gi. The Desies have land imposed upon them at double the former rates, and if they refuse to accept it on these hard conditions (if monied men) they are carried to prison, there they are famished almost to death; racked and tortured most inhumanly till they confess where it is. They have now in Limbo several Brachmins, whose flesh they tear with pincers heated red-hot, drub them on the shoulders to extreme anguish (though according to their law it is forbidden to strike & Brachmin). This is the accustomed sawce all India over, the Princes doing the same by the Governors, when removed from their offices, to squeeze their ill-got estates out of them; which when they have done, it may be they may be employed again. And after this fashion the Desies deal with the Combies ; so that the great fish prey on the little, as well by land as by sea, bringing not only them but their families into Eternal Bondage.''89 Fryer was of opinion that even Bijapur rule was milder than that of Shivaji.
(To be continued.)
bü See Kantilya's Arthashastra, translated by R. Shama Shastry. 87 Ranade, R.M.P., p. 126.
88 Rajwado, M.1.., Vol. 8, pp. 23-26. 89 Fryer, pp. 146-147.
