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exposed; he then spread out the skin of the victim, and sat upon 

 it with his hands tied behind him. All who chose to take a part 

 in the injury which had been done, took up a piece of the ox, and 

 swore to revenge him according to their respective ability/' Hero- 

 dotus mentions a circumstance of the same people still more re- 

 sembling the public engagements of the Bhauts, on the occasion 

 where the contracting parties cut their arms with a knife, and let 

 the blood run into a bowl of wine: of which all who were present 

 drank, with the most dreadful impecations against him who should 

 violate the treaty. 



The Ayeen Akbery mentions Charuns and Bhauts, both em- 

 ployed in singing hymns of celebration, and reciting genealogies; 

 in repealing martial feats during a battle to animate the troops, 

 and in discovering parables and secret things: every great man in 

 those days had several in his service, both Bhauts and Charuns; 

 the former equalled the latter in poetical talent, and excelled them 

 in chronology. 



Although the Bhauts possess landed property, and cultivate it 

 by the tribes employed in agriculture, as a privileged order they 

 are exempted from taxes, and every attempt to levy an assessment 

 is succeeded by the Tarakazv, a most horrid mode of murdering 

 themselves and each other: this, from invariable custom, it is ab- 

 solutely incumbent upon them to do; for were they voluntarily 

 to submit to any imposition, those of their own tribe in other 

 places would refuse to eat with them, or to intermarry with their 

 family; they therefore prefer a voluntary death to this state of igno- 

 miny and excommunication. 



Many families of this tribe resided in Neriad, from whence. 



