330 WILD MEN AND WILD BEASTS. 



till some of his people having effected a raid over the border 

 on their own account, similar communications would pass with 

 the same unsatisfactory result. 



In many of their manners and customs the Bheels greatly 

 resemble the old Scottish Highlanders. They are very 

 clannish, and have great respect for the chiefs of their tribes, 

 while the patience and pertinacity with which they avenge 

 plunder or bloodshed, and the zest with which they enter on 

 any predatory expedition, would have done credit to the most 

 accomplished reivers and caterans of our own land. But it 

 was necessary that the benign influence of the Paramount 

 Power should be felt in these wild countries, and, to this end, 

 international courts were held on the frontier, when all dis- 

 putes were examined into and settled by the British politicals. 

 The peculiarity of the procedure consisted in the Bheels 

 themselves being constituted judges and arbiters in the various 

 cases. Some time previous to the assembling of the court, 

 lists of claims on both sides were exchanged through the 

 British officers, and on the date of meeting being fixed all 

 parties were duly warned to attend. All were directed to 

 come unarmed, and all came under safe conduct, being assured 

 that they would be safe from arrest for any imputed crimes. 

 On the assembling of the court, previous to calling on the 

 first case, a scale of compensation was mutually agreed upon. 

 Buffaloes about fifteen rupees, oxen twelve, cows eight, and 

 sheep and goats one or two rupees. The life of a man was 

 fixed at one hundred and twenty rupees, while tell it not in 

 Gath that of a woman was only valued at sixty. Wounds 

 were assessed according to their gravity. 



I met Colonel Buckle on one of these courts at Dohud, 

 fifty miles west of Sirdarpore. Our object was the settlement 

 of the claims against our respective districts. The agents of 



