THE WILD HUNTERS. 



189 



antelopes. We found doves, kites, and curlews, 

 whilst large iguanas congregated around the 

 water to dine upon the fish-fry which die of heat 

 in the sun-scalded shallows. 



After shaking hands all around, and settling 

 sundry small disputes about the right and the 

 wrong, we spread our mats in the grateful shade, 

 and made up for the past with tea and tobacco. 

 During the day our Baloch shaved one another's 

 heads, and plaited Sawas, or sandals of palm-leaf. 

 The guide engaged, as extra porters, five wild 

 men, habited in the simplest attire — a kilt of dried 

 grass, with the upper ends woven into a cord of 

 the same material. This thatch, fastened round 

 the waist, extended to mid-thigh : it is cool, clean, 

 and certainly as decent as the garb of the Gael. 

 All had bows and poisoned arrows, except one, who 

 boasted of a miserable musket and of literally a 

 powder-horn, the vast spoils of a cow, slung across 

 his shoulder. The wretches were lean as wintry 

 wolves, and not less ravenous. We fed them with 

 rice and Ghi : of course they asked for more, till 

 their stomachs, before shrunken like empty blad- 

 ders, stood out in the shape of little round lumps 

 from the hoopwork of ribs. We had neglected 

 to take their arms by way of pledges to the con- 

 tract : after amply feeding they arose, and with 



