A RUN THROUGH KATHIAWAR. 267 



me to say that I did not do so from any ill-feeling, 

 which I readily did ; and then they insisted on send- 

 ing out four Puggis, or watchmen, to guard my tent 

 during the night, as there were bad characters about ; 

 and my tent, which did not close to the ground in 

 more than one place, was pitched some way from the 

 walls of the town. 



The Puggis of Western India form a peculiar insti- 

 tution. They were originally a caste of thieves, and 

 still are so to a great extent ; but they also undertake 

 the duty of watching tents, and houses, and collections 

 of goods when they are paid to do so. In that 

 latter respect they are faithful and valuable; not 

 that they keep up any strict watch, but that, by an 

 arrangement among themselves, their presence beside 

 you keeps thieves away. This is a point of honour 

 with them; but, on the other hand, they deem it 

 equally a point of honour to make you suffer for it 

 if you decline their services at least in districts 

 where they are a recognised institution. If their 

 services are declined in such a district you are almost 

 sure to be robbed during the night ; and they are so 

 clever in that business that they can even take the 

 resai (a padded quilt) or the sheet from beneath a 

 tolerably sound sleeper by gently tickling him, and 

 so making him turn over in various directions. I 

 have even heard of them, or of some Eamooshis a 

 similar caste in the Dekhan taking away, in joke, 

 the arms of a whole company of European soldiers, 



