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349 
pied, either in sustaining the pipe, or a cup of colFee. Their match- 
locks are good, and richly ornamented with silver. This, and their 
crooked dagger or jambea, are their chief pride ; and it requires the 
most rigid economy for several yearsy to enable a young Arab to 
provide himself with them. The troops attend the Dola every 
Friday to the great mosque, and afterwards exercise in the front of 
his house. I was present several times to see the infantry fire three 
vollies, which they do with ball cartridge, or at least ought to do, 
though I suspect economy induces them frequently to leave out the 
ball. Before they fire, they throw themselves into loose disorder ; 
a plan which the Dola strongly justified to Mr. Pringle, when he 
waited on him to announce the late glorious victories of the British 
in the east. On that occasion he fairly told him, that he was very 
much surprised our soldiers ever gained a victory, disciplined as 
they were. *' Why," said he, " your men are all drawn up in a row, 
so that any man may be distinguished by a person who has an en- 
mity to him, and be shot immediately ; whereas my men, by standing 
in disorder, and continually changing place, cannot be known." The 
ball that they use is small, and ill formed, so that, at the respectful 
distance they keep from each other, a wound is seldom received. 
As the chief Mussulmaun inhabitants attend the Dola on the Friday, 
as well as the soldiers, the procession is handsome, several gay 
streamers being carried by the horsemen, and before the Dola the 
green and red flags of the Imaum ; on the former of which is figured, 
in white, the double-bladed sword of Mahommed, which has a much 
greater resemblance to the figure of an European, with his head, 
feet, and hands cut off. The Arab dress looks well on horseback, 
and is composed of the richest satins and kincaubs of India. The 
