35S Notes on Knjiristdn. [No. 4. 



W a Muhammadan fulls into the hands of a party of Kafirs, and 

 they kill him, they gain no honour thereby collectively ; the credit 

 alone attaches to him who may have first laid hands on the victim. 



Those who have succeeded in slaying an enemy, will not eat or 

 drink in the company of their less fortunate comrades ; but each as 

 he succeeds in killing a foe, is again received into their society. 

 Those who cannot accomplish the task must be content to remain 

 separate from the others. 



They go on in this manner, day by day, for twenty days or a 

 month, on the expiration of which time, if the expedition has turned 

 out tolerably successful, they set out on their return ; and on arriving 

 at the beacon, fire it, in order to warn their friends in the village of 

 their approach. The villagers — young and old — rich and poor — 

 male and female — come out to meet and conduct them in triumph 

 home. Those who have killed a Muhammadan in the foray, are 

 raised on the shoulders of the crowd, before whom the young maidens 

 dance, sing, and clap their hands, until they reach the hamlet. 

 Those of their comrades who have not been so fortunate, have to 

 follow behind on foot ; and until they succeed, on some future 

 expedition, in killing a follower of Islam, they are not allowed to sit 

 in the assembly of the tribe, neither to eat nor drink with their 

 fellow-countrymen, and are excluded from participation in all public 

 diversions. They become, in fact, outcasts of society, are not at 

 liberty to marry, and are not even permitted to cook victuals for 

 themselves, but must live by beggary ; and food is handed to them 

 over the giver's left shoulder ; even their own wives and children look 

 upon them with contempt. When they have succeeded, however, in 

 taking the life of a Muhammadan, they are re-admitted to their rights 

 as freemen, and become honorable men again. 



These stringent and severe customs bear a striking resemblance to 

 the warlike system of the Spartans, towards those who fled from a 

 stricken held or survived a defeat, who were thereby deprived of their 

 rights as freemen, and were subject to all sorts of indignity and 

 contumely.* Herodotus also quotes a similar usage prevailing 



* " Hence it is that a mother recommended to her son, who was going to 

 make a campaign, that lie should return either with or upon his shield : and that 

 another, hearing that her son was killed in fighting for his country, answered j 



