MANNERS AND CUSTOMS. 



511 



they press to tlteir foreheads and 

 lips. So far the reception is con- 

 ducted in profound silence, and the 

 parties now sit down, on which the 

 chief addresses the stranger^, and 

 asks him, four several times, how 

 he does, to which the other an- 

 swers in the usual complimentary 

 terms ; he then inquires in the 

 same manner for his family and 

 friends, and even for the health 

 of his followers who are present, 

 to whom the visitor turns, as if 

 to appeal for information ; they 

 all nod assent to being in good 

 health ; and the ceremony con- 

 cludes, by the new-comer making 

 an equal number of inquiries for 

 the welfare of the family, Kheil 

 or society, followers, and friends 

 of the Sirdar. By nature the 

 Belooches are extremely indolent, 

 and, unless occupied by souie fa- 

 vourite amusement, they will 

 spend whole days in lounging 

 from one Ghedan to another, 

 smoking and gambling j many of 

 them are addicted to the pernici- 

 ous custom of chewing opium and 

 Bhung, but I neither met with, 

 or heard of a single instance of 

 habitual ebriety, from spirituous 

 liquors or wine ; in fact that spe- 

 cies of the vice of drunkenness 

 seems to be unknown amongst 

 them. Tiieir various foods are 

 wheaten and barley cakes, rice, 

 dates, cheese, sweet and sour 

 \ nilk, which last they infinitely 

 p refer; soup made from dhoU, or 

 pt -as, and seasoned with red pep- 

 pe r, and other heating herbs, and 

 He; ih-raeat whenever they can 

 pn >cure it, including that of young 

 can lels, and every kind of game : 

 oi" vegetables they prize onions, 

 ga r lie, and the leaves and stalk of 

 the> asafcetida plant, which they 



roast or stew in butter, raw or 

 clarified. They usually limit 

 themselves to one or two wives, 

 and their chiefs four ; but this 

 totally depends on choice. I saw 

 men of the lowest station, who 

 had seven or eight living, and 

 Mihrab Khan, chief of the Rukh- 

 shanees, had just espoused his 

 sixteenth when I was at his capi- 

 tal. They treat their women with 

 attention and respect, and are not 

 so scrupulous about their being 

 seen by strangers as most other 

 Moosulmans, although they by 

 no means allow them to appear in 

 public at all times. 



The Belooches keep great num- 

 bers of slaves of both sexes, the 

 fruits of their Chupaos, whom 

 they treat with a kindness and li- 

 berality that is quite gratifying to 

 see. When first taken, they look 

 upon themselves as the most un- 

 fortunate beings in existence, 

 and, to say the truth, the treat- 

 ment they then exp(jrience, is of 

 the harshest and mOiSt discourag- 

 ing description ; they are blind- 

 folded and tied on camels, and in 

 that manner transported, to pre- 

 vent the possibility of their know- 

 ing how to return ; the women's 

 hair, and men"s beard", are also 

 shaved off, and the rocits entirely 

 destroyed by a pre.f)aration of 

 quicklime, to deter them from 

 any wish to revisit their native 

 soil ; but they shortly get recon- 

 ciled to their fate, arid become 

 very faithful servants. I shall re- 

 late an anecdote, whiah will best 

 exemplify the footing on which 

 they live with their masr.ters. Cap- 

 tain Christie, speakinj ;• on this 

 subject, expressed his s urprize to 

 Eidel Khan Rukhshanfte, th^ Sir- 

 dar of Nooshky, that the numerous 



slaves 



