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BROKEN DIALECTS OF THE EAST.

　In the eastern part of the Central Provinces Marh is surrounded by Chhattsgah and other dialects of Eastern Hind in the north, and by G and other aboriginal forms of speech in the south. There are no intermediary dialects connecting Marh with any of these dialects.

　Farther to the east we find another Aryan language, Oiy. A dialect of this language, Bhatr, is spoken in the Bastar State, and forms a kind of connecting link between Oiy and the language of the central portion of Bastar. This latter is known as Halb, and is a curious mixture of Oiy, Chhattsgah, and Marh. Some minor dialects in Raipur and Kanker, such as Bhunji, Nhar, and Kamr, have several points of analogy with Halb, of which language the two former may be considered as sub-dialects. The revised figures for all these forms of speech are as follows:-

Halb...	104,971
Bhunji...	2,000
Nhar...	482
Kamr...	3,743
TOTAL.	111,196

　These dialects are the only one which can claim to be intermediary between Marh and Oiy. The remarks which follow will, however, show that they are not organic links, but merely mechanical mixtures of all the Aryan languages which meet in the eastern part of the Central Provinces.

HALB.

　The Halbas are one of the principal tribes of the Baster and Kanker States. In Bastar they are chiefly found in the central part of the district, from the eastern frontier westwards. They are also found in the north-west, on the frontier towards Kanker, and farther into this latter State. Halbas have also settled in Bhandara, the eastern portion of Chanda, and Raipur.

　Outside the Central Provinces Halbas were returned at the Census of 1891 from the Jeypore zamindari of Madras (1,887) and from Berar (2,841). In Madras they are classed as a sub-division of the Gs. In Berar they are weavers, and most of them are found in Ellichpur.

　Halb, the dialect of the Halbas, has only been returned for this Survey from the Central Provinces. A specimen has, however, been forwarded from Berar. It differs from the other Halb specimens, and it will therefore be separately dealt with.

　The number of speakers in the Central Provinces has been estimated for this Survey as follows:-