16 
T. G. Bailey —The Secret Words of the Cuhrds. [No. 1, 
that this Pashto, as they call their special phraseology is better known 
in some places than in others, and in all cases it is extremely probable 
that those men are best acquainted with it who habitually give them¬ 
selves up to criminal pursuits. The Sasis call their own specially 
secret dialect Farsi. It is hardly necessary to point out that in neither 
case is there any connection with Pashto or Persian. 
Unlike the Sasis the Culiras have no grammar of their own. They 
use ordinary Panjabi, inserting, when there is need for secrecy, their 
private words which others will not understand. If it be objected that 
their hidden vocabulary is too meagre to allow them much freedom in this 
exercise, it may be answered that the subjects in connection with 
which they desire secrecy are very limited, and it is wonderful how 
far it is possible, even with a few unknown words, to mystify the un¬ 
initiated. 
Sometimes to disguise an ordinary word the letter ‘ m ’ is inserted* 
Thus a little boy said to me-“ uh Kutrd Ghirbalia de shamul polia je ” 
—that boy (to the) Musalmans’ school gone has.” Here ‘ skamul ’ is 
used for ‘skul.’ 
One of my informants amusingly but forcibly illustrated the un¬ 
willingness with which Cuhras will tell strangers anything about their 
argot. He confided in me only when all doors were shut, and even 
then the slightest sound used to make him start and look round to find 
out if anyone was listening or watching. 
The following song, which sings the delights of carrion eating, will 
give some idea of the verse current among these people. 
1. Maddar Pir pahari carhia 
Khilqat mattha tekdi. 
2. Sundl Mai akkar bhanne 
Culhede wicc letdi. 
3. Gicll Mai jhand khalare 
DandS wallo wekhdi. 
1. Lo ! St. 1 Thigh has risen on 
high 2 
The people bow their heads. 
2. Mother Cutlet 3 twists and turns, 
I’ the fireplace as she lies. 
3. Mother knee joint’s grizzling 4 
now, 
And looking towards the teeth. 
1 Observe the canonisation in the first couplet and the dignity accorded in the 
second and third. 
8 i.e., has been elevated to the cooking pot. 
3 Akkar bhanna means to stretch as in yawning, hence to walk stiffly and proudly. 
Here it refers to twisting under the action of the fire. For sundi and gicll see 
vocabulary. 
4 Jhand khalarna, used of hair standing on end, here of splitting up and separa- 
ion of meat. 
