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MY SHIKAREE FRIENDS. 



II. LUTCHMAN THE BEYDAR. 



WHEN in the sixteenth century the confederate 

 Mussulman forces under Adil Shah, the monarch of 

 Goolburga, defeated the Hindoo sovereign of 

 Vijianuggar at the decisive battle of Talikot, and 

 thus finally overthrew the last of the Hindoo king- 

 doms of South India, it was noticed that the 

 utmost efforts of the brilliant Mussulman cavalry 

 could make no impression on a body of Hindoo 

 infantry which kept the field when all around was 

 rout and slaughter. " Who/' asked Adil Shah, 

 " are those brave spearsmen ? " " Beytars (hunts- 

 men)," replied his attendants. " Nay, rather Bey- 

 dars (without fear)/' said the chivalrous Mussulman 

 sovereign. " Henceforth they shall be known, not 

 as Beytars (huntsmen), but as Beydars (the fear- 

 less)." This punning title of Beydar Beytar (the 

 fearless huntsmen) is still borne by the clansmen 

 of the famous caste of huntsmen inhabiting North 

 Mysore and parts of the Southern Mahratta 

 country. Under their P alegars, or tribal chiefs, 

 they formed the flower of that Mysore army which, 

 under Hyder AH, struck terror into the hearts of 



