14 
T. G. Bailey— The Secret Words of the Guliras. 
[No. 1, 
The Secret Words of the Guliras.—By Rev. T. Geahame Bailey, B.D., 
M.A., Wazlrabad. 
[ Read 8th January, 1902.] 
Like other tribes, which from the practice of generations, have become 
addicted to evil deeds, the Cuhras have a secret vocabulary which 
greatly facilitates the commission of crime and equally hinders its detec¬ 
tion. In their case the special words are connected chiefly, on the one 
hand with thieving and house-breaking, and, on the other, with the 
eating of cattle which have been found dead, and consequently with the 
means employed to ensure a moderately good supply of such dead 
animals. Throughout this article the secret words will be in italics. 
Without a knowledge of these words one cannot become thoroughly 
acquainted with the Cuhras or with their ways of thought and action. 
In order to get right to the heart of things let us accompany an expedi¬ 
tion which has as its object the plundering of some rich man’s house. 
Some churm (thief), who always keeps his eyes open has discovered 
a huddh (house), belonging to some RarJca (Hindu) or Ghir bald Musal- 
man). He seeks out another Kdla (thief) from among his own people, 
the Rujgge (Cuhras), or he may find an obliging Bhatu (Sasi) ready to 
help him. Having painted in glowing colours the richness of the house 
in bhivite (rupees) and bagele (do.) and harjiye (paise) and thele (a 
kind of ornament), he says ‘ calo gul lalye (let us break into the 
house). We shall follow these men, as on a dark moonless night 
they set out. Having reached the house they produce their tombu 
(iron instrument for house-breaking, an oriental jemmy) and set to 
work. They take the precaution of placing by their side several cliihare 
or clods of earth with which to assail any unwelcome intruder. The 
hole is finally made and the thief leaving outside his harJcl, stick, and 
paintrl or cdJchal (shoes), and telling his litara (confidant) to keep a 
sharp look out, enters the house. If he finds no one inside he will ven¬ 
ture to light a ghasdi (match). Suddenly a small clod of earth 
drops near the house-breaker; this is the neold (piece of earth thrown 
as a warning of impending danger). He looks round in alarm and hears 
