214 TRAVEL, ADVENTURE, AND SPORT. 



in the tower over the gateway ; and this I occupied, 

 as it was comfortable and had been carpeted for me, 

 though the whole concern was in a great state of de- 

 cay, and looked as if it might collapse at any moment. 

 There was much excitement in this place about a 

 rising of outlaws in the neighbouring forest of the 

 Gi'r, and this Avas one of the reasons why I was not 

 allowed to pay a visit to that haunt of lions as Avell 

 as of outlaws. 



Bhairmdtia, or going into a state of outlawry, was, 

 and to a less extent still is, a highly respectable in- 

 stitution in Kathiawar; it was the safety-valve of 

 society. When a chief or a Grassia felt himself op- 

 pressed beyond endurance by a powerful neighbour, 

 he took to the jungle, and from thence made pre- 

 datory excursions upon that neighbour's territory. 

 The expedient was perfectly respectable, and served 

 as a real safeguard against oppression. The most 

 powerful chief knew that if he pushed matters be- 

 yond a certain point, those he oppressed would betake 

 themselves to parts of the country where there would 

 be the greatest difficulty in getting at them, and from 

 whence they might cause his subjects serious loss and 

 trouble. He also had before him the possibility of 

 these outlaws so increasing in number and banding 

 together that they might; entirely overthrow his power 

 and put him to a cruel death. The outlaw of to-day 

 might become the prince of to-morrow, but there would 

 be very little chance of the overthrown prince being 



