322 HAUNTS AND HOBBIES 



like the other fighting sects, confine their hostilities to 

 rival devotees : they engaged also in purely secular 

 contests. In the troublesome times that followed 

 the breaking up of the Mogul empire, the Nagas 

 took an active part in the numerous wars then pre- 

 vailing among the various native princes. They 

 were at one period, about the end of the last century, 

 oddly enough, partially commanded by an English 

 sailor, George Thomas, a man of some celebrity in 

 India at the time, and who afterwards succeeded in 

 establishing himself as the independent sovereign 

 of a small territory towards the confines of the 

 Punjaub. 



The "Nagas" existed in the native states of Raj- 

 pootana till quite recently ; they may do so still. At 

 the commencement of the Mutiny they attached them- 

 selves to one of the English officials, and did good 

 service on behalf of our Government. 



I believe that many among the fakirs have become 

 such from very pure and sincere motives. I have 

 conversed with some who impressed me as being, 

 according to their lights, truly pious ; but these were 

 those who affected no extravagances of dress or 

 behaviour, and who passed their lives quietly in 

 religious contemplation. As to the fakirs in general, 

 I do not think, from all I have seen and heard, that 

 the opinion of them expressed by the head policeman 

 was much exaggerated. The filthiness of the habits 

 and the horrible impurity of the practices that prevail 

 among them are hardly to be conceived. Of this 

 filthiness I once had experience ; it was at Hurdwar. 



