The whole of the Bikanir principality, with thE exception of a few isolated spots or oases scattered here and there, consists more or less of sand, From the eastern to the western boundary, in the line of greatest breadth, it is one continuous plain of sand, though the teeba or sandhills commence in the centre of the country, the principal chain originating in the tracts border ing the eastern valley of the Indus, and ter minating its elevations about the heart of Bikanir. On the N.E. quarter, from Rajgurh to Nohur and Raotsir, the soil is good, being black earth, slightly mixed with sand, and having water near enough to the surface for irrigation ; it pro duces wheat, gram, and even rice in considerable quantities. The same soil exists from Bhatntiir to the banks of the Gara. The whole of the Mohilla tract is a fertile oasis, the teeba, just terminating their extreme offsets on its northern limit ; being flooded in the periodical rains, wheat is abundantly produced. In 1881, the population of Bikanir was 509,021.
The deterioration of the Bikanir region, -within three centuries since the Rajput supplanted the Jit, ahnost warrants our belief of the assertion that these deserts were once fertile and populous. The princes of Bikanir used to take the field at the head of 10,000 of their kindred retainers. The commercial towns of Churn, Rajg-urh, and Rinne, as entrepots, supplied the country Nvith the pro ductions of Sind and the provinces to the west ward, or of those of Gangetic India. The same cause affected Jeysulmir, Bikanir, and the more eastern principalities. The Maldote of Jeysulmir, and the Larkhani of Jeypore, were as notorious as the Beedawut of Bikanir ; and to these may be added the Sahrai, Khossa, and Rajurh, in the more western desert, who in their habits and principles Tod described as demoralized as the Bedouins of Arabia. The line of greatest breadth of Bikanir extends from Poogul to Rajgurh, and measures about 180 miles, while tbo length from north to south between Bhatnair and Mahajin is about 160 miles ; the area, may not exceed 22,000 miles. Formerly they reckoned 2700 towns, villages, and hamlets scattered over this space, one-half of which are no longer in existence. The tract to the N.W. of Jaetpur in.Colonel Tod's time was perfectly desolate, and nearly so from that point to Bhatnair ; to the N.E. the population was but scanty, which observation also applied to the parts from the meridian of Bikanir to the Jeysulmir frontier ; while internally from these points it is more uniform, and equals the northern parts of MarNvar. Three-fourths of the people are Jit; the rest are their conquerors, descendants of Beeka, including the Sarsote Brahmans, Charans, Bards, and a few of the debased classes, whose numbers are not one-tenth of the Rajputs. In Colonel
Tod's time the Jit were the most wealthy as well as the most numerous portion of the community. Many of the old Bhumia landlords, representatives of their ancient communal heads, were men of substance. Sarsote, properly Saraswati, Brahmans are found in considerable numbers throughout this tract. They aver that they Nvere masters of the country prior to the Jit colonists. They are a peaceable, industrious race, and without a single prejudice of the order. They eat meat, smoke tobacco, cultivate the soil, and trade even in the sacred kine. The Charan are the sacred order of these regions. The warlike tribes esteem the heroic lays of the Bard more than the homily of the Brahman. The Charan are throughout reve renced by the Rahtor, and hold lands, literally, on the tenure of an old song.
The Jhallawar or Jhalore tract is one of the most important divisions of Marwar. In 1881 its population was 340,488. It is separated from Sewanchi by the Sookri and Khari, which, with many smaller streams, flow through them from the Aravalli and Abu, aiding tu fertilize its 360 towns and villages, forming a part of the fiscal domains of Marwar. The important fortress of Jhalore, guarding the southern frontier of Marwar, stands on the extremity of the range extending north to Sewanoh. Sewanchi is the tract between the Looni and Sookrl. Macholah and Morseen are the two principal dependencies of Jhalore. Beeninal and Sanehore aro the two principal divisions to the south, each containing 80 villages. Iffiadrajoon, a fief of Jhalore, has a Joda chief and Meena population.
The nut of Goga is very thinly inhabited ; it has many sandhills, t'hul-ka-tecba.
The 1"hul of Tiruroe lies between Goga Deo and Jeysulmir.
The rhul of Khawar is between Jeysulmir and Barmair, in the most remote angle of Marwar.
13armair ehul, also called the 21ffilli-iitieh-ka OM, is occupied by eattle-breedem The Menhir, or land of Klier, and Nagar Gooroh, on the Looni, are the chief t'hul.
The Chauhan Rajput of the desert has, on the N. and E., the above tracts of Marwar, to the south Koliwara and the Runn, to the west the desert of Dliat. The sterile ridge which passes through Chotun to Jeysulmir passes west of Bankasir on to Nag,ar Parkar. The wells are G5 to 130 feet deep. The Sahrai, Khossa, Koli, and Blill inhabitants are predatory. The Chauhan Itajput does not wear the zonar, and does not much respect the Brahmans. The Pit'hil and Banya are farmers and traders.