MODE OF MASKING TIME. 93 



to me of the manner of marking the time at 

 Khyr^DOor. Immediately at sunset eight strokes 

 on the Ghurryal mark the expiration of the 

 eight ghurries of the watch, then 32 strokes 

 called dutcher are struck to mark the termin- 

 ation of the 32 ghurries or four watches of the 

 day. The number of ghurries in the day 

 watches however depends on the length of 

 the day, and very little attention is paid to 

 their exactitude, as time is of small value to 

 any one at Khyrpoor. 



At dawn of day a six-pounder is fired from 

 the Meer's park, and at the third ghurry after 

 sunset, the first nukkara, or kettle-drum, is beat 

 at the Jcottvallee. At the termination of the 

 watch, the second nukkara is beat, and at the 

 end of the fourth ghurry afterwards, the third 

 nukkara is beat, this being immediately fol- 

 lowed by a gun from the park. After which 

 any persons found in the streets are liable to 

 1)0 apprehended by the cJioJcedars as evil-doers. 

 As in striking the ghurryal punctuality is not 

 much attended to, so the same may be said of 

 the beaters of the nukkara, who beat them or 

 not just as they happen to think of the duty ; 

 and as in the evening those worthies are ge- 



