21
Answer No. 30.
20. Total strength of regiment
539
Composed thus —
Pardesi Hindus
236
Maratha Hindus
139
Muhammadans
117
Gujerati Hindus
42
Vacancies
5
TOTAL
539
(a) Combatants
512
(b) Non-combatants
17
(c) Authorised
camp-followers
10
The average 3 per caste, that smoke ganja.
24. (a) Eat—None in any caste.
(b) Drink—Among Pardesi Hindus about 15
drink bhang; among Maratha Hindus 5; among
Muhammadans 5; among Gujrati Hindus 2.
25. On the decrease, owing to there being a
local rise in the price.
28. Two annas.
32. Social—Weddings and other special gather-
ings and meetings.
Religions—For following festivals:—
Sivrathri.
Rung-Pancham (Holi).
33. It is considered as an ill-habit.
It is generally considered a habit of disrepute.
None.
39. Smoking any preparation of the hemp plant
is considered more injurious than drinking or eat-
ing the same. Creditable statement of witnesses.
41. Yes, when taken moderately.
42. Considered harmless by creditable statement
of witnesses.
43. No.
44. Yes, it is refreshing. Ganja does produce
intoxication. Ganja of charas smoked produces
hunger, which bhang allays. It creates appetite.
The effect of bhang lasts about four hours, and ganja
about two hours. No after-effects, nor does it pro-
duce any longing or uneasiness subsequently.
49. Yes.
51. A bad character usually developed by habitu-
ally consuming any of these drugs excessively.
Insulting quarrels would be the general crime.
53. It does excite when excessively indulged in
to unpremeditated crime of either violence or other-
wise. No, not aware of any case of homicidal
frenzy.
54. No.
55. Yes, they do. Complete stupefaction will
not be induced by the drug alone.
Answer No. 31.
20. The total strength is 726.
(a) Combatants
678
(b) Non-combatants
32
(c) Authorised camp-followers
16
And are thus divided—
Pardesi Hindus
294
Maratha Hindus
238
Deshi Hindus
36
Mussulmans
145
Vacancies
11
Eurasian
1
European
1
About 10 Pardesi Hindus smoke ganja, 2
Maratha Hindus, and 1 Mussalman also.
Charas is not at all used here.
24. About 10 Pardesi Hindus eat and drink
bhang.
25. The use of ganja, charas, and bhang is on
the decrease, being too expensive.
28. The average allowance is from 2 mashas to
1/2 a tola, and costs the habitual moderate consumers
from 1/2 an anna to an anna per diem.
32. Bhang is drunk every year at Shewratri,
Kartick, and Ashad Akadeshi, and at Rung-
Panchmi. It is generally eaten and drunk at
social gatherings by Hindus of all castes. They
also offer it to their god Mahadeo at "Shew-
ratri."
33. It is regarded as having the bad effect of
prostrating both the bodily and mental faculties of
those addicted to its use.
The above is the opinion generally of the native
army.
To the rise in the exchange. There is no custom
of worshipping the hemp plant.
39. It is equally bad in every form. The reason
is, from judging the bad effects on the persons
making use of these drugs, who for no real cause
create quarrels and dispute with every one they
come in contact with, but no case of such kind has
actually occurred in the regiment to my knowledge.
41. Decidedly not.
42. It is decidedly as bad, because its constant
use leads to excess, and this is the reason.
43. Generally speaking they may be regarded
as such.
44. A craving for excessive use. By habitual
consumers it is so regarded. Yes, it does produce
intoxication. No, on the contrary, it increases it.
Yes, it does in a most ravenous form. It lasts
from two to four hours on habitual consumers, and
longer on those that are not accustomed to them.
The after-effect may be stated to be the softening
of the brains, tending ultimately to insanity. Yes,
it does produce longing and uneasiness.
45 and 46. They are replied by the Military
Medical Officer.*
49. Yes.
51. Yes. The users of these drugs are driven to
lose their judgment and discretion upon the slight-
est or no provocation, but I have had no such
example.
53. It does in most cases incite the worst traits
of character and disposition. Its excessive use
will tend to create frenzy, but happily none has
ever occurred in the regiment.
54. Generally speaking it is not so used, but its
effect is liable to lead to offences of the kind referred
to.
55. Yes, in many cases that may occur. Yes, it
may. Admixture may intensify the stupefaction,
but its immoderate use may all the same stupefy
the faculties.
* Answers not received.