249
was, we read, ‘‘the fixing of the jama-i dahsala.” We then
read that local prices used to be reported regularly for use in
commutation, and that, as the Empire extended, delays in the
reports caused dissatisfaction, while some of the reporters were
suspected of “straying from the path of rectitude.” Thus the
emergency was the same: and it is added that the officials were
helpless, but that Akbar himself solved the problem.
In both records then, and I have found no other account,
the jama-i dahsala is named as furnishing an alternative to
commutation; and, since we know what the actual alternative
was, we must infer that this known alternative could be described
officially by this title. How the title can have come into use,
is a question which must be reserved until the remaining para-
eraph has been discussed.
APPENDIX E
[E]
TRANSLATION. From the 15th to the 24th year “they”
added up the mahsil-s dahsala, and took 1/10th of that as
harsala;
but “they” took the 2oth to 24th years as ascertained,
and the five previous from the statements of upright men.
And also taking into account the [figures known as] mal-s
jins-t kamil, “they” took the year which was greatest, as the
table shows.
[NTERPRETATION. Mabhsiil obviously cannot mean “produce”
in this context, and must be taken as Demand. The first two
clauses are plain. An average was struck of the Demand for
ten years. Actual figures for the last five were available,
because, as we have seen, most of the provinces had been brought
ander direct administration by orders issued in the 1gth
year; for the earlier years there would not be complete figures
for Demand, because most of the country was then assigned,
and consequently it would be necessary to collect whatever
data were available, presumably from qaningos and from
managers employed by assignees. Clearly, then, the Ain speaks
of averaging the Demand, and not the demand-rates, because
the rates were on record (they are in Ain Nazdahsala), for the
whole period, and collection of secondary data for them would
not have been required.
Interpretation of the third clause depends on the reading
adopted. Here, Blochmann'’s text is not supported by any of
the MSS. I have consulted, and is contradicted by Or. 2169,