479 



Dhuboy was too weak to admit of more than a detachment to each 

 place from the byracs of Arabs and Scindians stationed there for 

 the general protection of the districts. The former were mostly 

 natives of Arabia, the latter of the country bordering upon the 

 Indus. I had frequently an escort of these people; and living 

 so much among them under banian-trees, and open sheds, afforded 

 me an opportunity of seeing their manners and customs. In the 

 Arabian byracs were a few officers of high character; but in gene- 

 ral, those who emigrate to India, and enter into the service of 

 foreign governments, are not men of the best families; the com- 

 manders of the greatest respectability attach themselves to the 

 Mahralta chieftains, and different princes of India, and while well 

 paid and properly treated, form excellent subsidiary troops, brave, 

 hardy, and faithful. Some of them, armed with matchlocks and 

 sabres, usually marched with the little escort of cavalry which 

 necessarily accompanied me in my rural excursions. 



Similar to the usual accounts of the Arabians in their own 

 country, I found those in the Company's service attached, hospi- 

 table, and friendly on all occasions. They take more exercise 

 than the Indians, and those who keep horses are generally fond of 

 field sports. For which purpose, besides the dogs and chetaus 

 they often possess, they train hawks and falcons for the purpose 

 of hunting antelopes and other game in the forests. As usual 

 they carry the bird hood-winked to the chase: on discovering a 

 herd of deer the bird is uncovered, and, after taking a general 

 survey, singles out one as his prey; then mounting aloft he darts 

 down repeatedly on the head of the animal, especially on the eyes, 

 until it is so confused and wounded by the beak and talons of the 



