177
seen even that it has produced any disease or
caused insanity. It produces good appetite, and
is very useful for digestion.
46. These drugs when used excessively are
injurious by all means.
49. No experience.
51. The habitual moderate consumers are not
of bad character generally, but they become hardy
and laborious instead.
53. Not acquainted with the result produced
from excessive use of these drugs.
54. Some men purposely take bhang to perform
their premeditated cause.
55. Some persons try themselves to induce their
victims to partake of these drugs, in order to
stupefy them with a view of plundering them also.
A man cannot be stupefied by a simple dose of
bhang without admixture.
Answer No. 250.
20. Present strength 605 all ranks, including
followers.
(a) Combatants—
Bhils
489
Naiks
64
Banjaras
6
Hindus
17
Muhammadans
2
TOTAL
578
(b) Non-combatants—
Hindus
2
Muhammadan
1
TOTAL
3
(c) Authorised camp followers—
Hindus
15
Muhammadans
9
TOTAL
24
Charas is not smoked by any one in the corps.
Ganja only is smoked by the following:—
Bhils
17
Naiks
5
Hindus
6
No Mussalman or Banjaras now in corps smoke
ganja.
This regiment is mostly composed of Bhils,
with a small proportion of Naiks (now 64
only). The Naik class much resembles the Bhil
in manners and customs, and for the purpose of this
inquiry may be classed with the Bhil. The corps
is now recruited and worked as a military police.
In the northern, southern and western parts of
the Agency the mohwa tree grows freely, and the
Bhil can from the berry distil a liquor for which
he pays no tax. Even where he has to purchase
from the various kalalis, he can get the country
liquor at so cheap a rate (from two to four annas
per quart bottle) that there is little inducement to
get other forms of intoxicants. The Bhil, in fact,
prefers the mohwa liquor, and he can procure it very
easily and cheaply.
24. No one in the corps eats or drinks bhang.
25. The use of ganja (charas and bhang not
being taken) may be said to be rather on decrease
than increase. The number of Bhils and Naiks
who smoke ganja is very few (22 only), and they
are all old soldiers, who have smoked for some time.
The enlistment of other classes and castes is now
prohibited, and the few Pardesi ganja-smokers who
remain (6) will ere long be retired on pension or
gratuity (see answer to question No. 20).
28. Charas and bhang not consumed. Three
pies per diem suffices for a moderate ganja smoker.
32. There is no special social or religious custom
in regard to consumption of these drugs. But on
the day of the Shivratri festival, the drinking of
bhang is held to be sacred by some sects of Hindus.
In the Holi festival also, ganja and other kinds
of intoxicating drugs are used among all classes of
Hindus.
33. A man who consumes these drugs is gene¬
rally regarded in the same light as a man who
exceeds in drinking of alcohol without being an
actual drunkard. The excessive use of any form
of the narcotic is not regarded with favour, as it is
considered to have a bad effect on a man's physical
and mental powers. The witnesses do not think
that a moderate use does much harm. There is no
custom of worshipping the hemp plant known in
these parts.
39. The smoking of any preparation of the hemp
plant is considered more injurious than eating or
drinking the same or any other preparation. The
witnesses say that smoking affects a man's breath¬
ing as he increases in years. The eating or drink¬
ing is much slower in causing any bad effects on a
man's constitution. Smoking is, however, the only
form in which the witnesses use it. They are
moderate consumers, and I do not notice that they
are less efficient than other sepoys.
41. The moderate use of ganja (witnesses are
not charas or bhang-consumers) is to some extent
beneficial. It pulls a man together after hard
work, produces appetite and enables him to sleep
well.
42. The moderate use of ganja is, as stated in
previous answer 41, supposed to be beneficial to some
extent. The witnesses do not use any other pre¬
paration.
43. Moderate consumers are considered inoffen¬
sive. The regimental consumers are well-behaved
and efficient men.
44. The moderate use—
(1) Refreshes.
(2) Exhilarates.
(3) Does allay hunger for a time.
(4) Creates appetite.
(5) Effects last about an hour or so.
(6) There are no unpleasant after-effects.
(7) The want of subsequent gratification
does not produce longing or uneasiness.
45. My local enquiries show that moderate use
is not considered to produce physical, mental or
moral defects.
Digestion is considered to be improved by moder¬
ate use.
The staying power for exercise and physical ex¬
ertion is said to be increased.
Excessive use is said to produce bronchitis. Its
use is not considered to lower the moral standard.
Its moderate use is held to make the intellect
more clear. Insanity is said never to follow its use
in moderate habituals.
Occasional smokers may become madly excited,
(on the same principle that a man who does not
2 A