1840.] Journal of a trip through Kunawur, fyc, hb7 



they are true and honest among themselves, because they find it 

 mutually their interest to be so, in a country where each is necessarily 

 more or less dependent on his neighbour for assistance; — but in 

 their dealings with a stranger, they do not hesitate to lie and cheat as 

 much as any of the people of the plains of India. 



Of this I had several good proofs while among them, one instance 

 of which was practised at Dunkur. Being sadly in want of provisions 

 for my people, I had, with much difficulty, at length prevailed upon 

 the killadar of the fort to sell me ten rupees worth of wheaten 

 flour. The money was paid in advance, and it was agreed that 

 I should march to Leedung, and leave behind me three or four 

 of my people to receive and bring it on the next morning. According- 

 ly I proceeded to the fossil site, and halting there one day, we con- 

 sumed all the provisions we had with us. Instead of furnishing 

 the flour by noon on the stipulated day, it was not produced and 

 delivered over to my people until late in the dusk of the evening, 

 when it was too dark to see its quality, which was of course exactly 

 the aim of the seller; for on its arrival in my camp the next day, 

 it proved to be instead of wheat, for which I had paid a higher price 

 than it was selling for among themselves, coarse barley meal, of 

 the worst description, and which even the coolies refused to eat. 

 Luckily we purchased enough at Leedung for the day's consumption. 

 This was so evident an endeavour to take me in, and pocket the 

 difference in price, by giving me bad barley instead of good wheat, 

 that I instantly returned it, and demanded the strict fulfilment of 

 the agreement, under pain of helping myself. My demand was 

 acceded to immediately, as even then I only got seven seers for 

 the rupee, while among themselves it was selling from ten to twelve 

 seers. 



Another instance of their roguery which annoyed me excessively, 

 occurred during the short march from Nabo to Leeo. I had pur- 

 chased an enormous pair of horns with the skull of a shawl goat, and 

 had placed them on a kiltah, or basket, containing specimens of rocks 

 and minerals. On arriving at Leeo the horns had disappeared, and all 

 inquiry to discover the thief was fruitless: they now no doubt grace 

 some pile dedicated to their favourite Devi. This theft however, was 

 the least of the evil, for the rascally Tartar, thinking his load too heavv, 



