470 
COURDISH TRIBES. 
with all their cattle, and brought them down into the lower 
country near the lake of Ouroomia; where his royal highness 
has planted them in villages ; and, placing them under vigilance, 
attempts to bring them round to more civilised habits. But 
these are a small number, when compared with the strength of 
the whole tribe; who, panting for retaliation, only await an 
opportunity, for some signal reprisal on the frontiers of the 
prince, and a more mighty vengeance on his Courdish allies. 
The Bilbossi live in independent clans, though all belong to 
one tribe, the head of which they nominally acknowledge as the 
superior of the whole. But he has no authority whatever be¬ 
yond his own especial clan; and the consequence is, that when 
the numerous clans have nothing to do without the pale of their 
own boundaries, they amuse themselves by robbing each other, 
stealing each other’s women ; and not unfrequently committing 
reciprocal murders, in these home exploits. They profess them¬ 
selves to be Mahomedans, of the orthodox faith ; but are, in 
fact, as ignorant of the laws of their prophet, as of what really 
constitutes the difference between the Sunni and the Sheah 
sects : all they follow with regard to religion, are a few forms 
and fasts ; but as to principle, they have none. 
On the more northerly and western mountainous tracks, towards 
the Lake Van, and also to the east of that body of water, dwell 
the Rewandoozi tribe, a most formidable people, who have never 
yet submitted, even nominally, to the Ottoman or Persian name. 
They amount to upwards of a hundred thousand families. In 
the winter, they live amongst their embattled rocks ; but in the 
milder months, roam about, pitching their tents from valley to 
valley. The Amadi and Bitlisi tribes are their near neighbours ; 
and though reckoned amongst the fiercest, have yet suffered 
