THE MIANI TRIBE. 71 



by the ancient Jews, being an enormously- 

 full petticoat, something similar to the flow- 

 ing '' Juklanilla" of the Albanians. The Be- 

 loochees, however, do not observe the Jewish 

 law [see Deuteronomy, chapter xxii. 1 1] pro- 

 hibiting the wearing of ''woollen and linen 

 together ; " but in this they may have adopted 

 the custom of the neighbouring tribes. More- 

 over, the climate of Beloochistan is, I believe, 

 much more severe than that of Syria ; but in 

 Sindh this costume is ill-adapted for the 

 climate, and is rarely seen in Sindh Proper. 



The Miani tribe are all fishermen, or boat- 

 men, on the Indus and its tributaries, and 

 from their occupation and habits are almost 

 amphibious. They are the most robust and 

 active race in Sindh, and their frankness of 

 bearing and lively temperament impress stran- 

 gers in their favour. This tribe reside entirely 

 on the banks of the river and Lake ]\Iunchur, 

 where whole families of these people live 

 entirely in their boats after the Chinese 

 fashion. The women row or steer the boats 

 as vigorously as the men, and are as power- 

 fully built as their partners. I was present 

 on one occasion at their Ecd, or festival, and 



