watch instantly and rudely seized me, exclaiming, 'what business have you there?' This noise awoke the other two, who rushed to the spot. They seeing who it was, informed the Bheel (for it was the man who arrived after I had gone to bed) of his mistake. He, hearing this, fell down with his face to the ground, beseeching me to place my foot on his neck and kill him. He then began, while prostrate, touching my feet with his forehead, nor would he quit his position until I forcibly withdrew myself into the tent, when the other Bheels pacified his feelings.

"The other instance of the watchfulness, daring, and honour of the Bheels is as follows: Major F——, afterwards my commanding officer, having some supplies coming to Baroda, in their journey they passed by a post where thirty-five of his own siphauees were stationed. These men having just been relieved from that duty, they returned with the supplies, which were in charge of a Parsee servant. On the road they were met by the Bheels, who wanted the usual tribute for the bullocks. This exaction the Parsee, with the approbation of the siphauees, refused to pay. Whether the Bheels found the party too strong for them, or had orders from their Raj not to engage in any affray, I know not, but the party escaped without paying or being molested, and the Parsee did not a little pride himself on his address and achievement. Some considerable time after this period, Major F and his wife taking their evening ride, had gone beyond the prescribed limits of the British cantonment, and heedlessly were pursuing their course, when some Bheels came upon them and claimed the money owing by the Parsee for himself and bullocks. Major F—— having no rupees about him, they took him, his wife, horse, and vehicle together. After some consultation, and a promise on the Major's part to pay the tribute demanded, he and his lady were allowed to depart, and an agreement entered into to send seven rupees (the sum required) by a servant unarmed and alone. This stipulation was carried into effect, and at the appointed time and place the cash was paid, and the gig and horse returned uninjured, with the Bheels' compliments.

"We were cautioned by those who had suffered on the spot from Bheels, against their depredations. The trunks belonging to each officer were

chained together, and the chain fastened round his tent-pole. There being about two hundred of our siphauees on guard round our camp that night, we apprehended no danger, and in consequence did not hire any Bhauts, or the Bheels deputed by them, for our protection. When, as before stated, the precaution is taken, money, effects, and life are safe. It costs but a trifling sum; half a rupee for a man, or when they keep a regular nightwatch, two rupees for three. On the first night no molestation occurred, and the next day (as is too often the case when we are in security) we grew a little careless, in opening trunks, and making arrangements for a large dinner-party that evening. Our servants also were getting careless, and laughing at the idea of a corps, having two hundred sentries mounted, being robbed by a few wretched, dastardly Bheels or Coolies; and I believe among ourselves such an idea was scouted. We thought ourselves valiant fellows, and fancied ourselves cunning ones. Night came and we sought our repose. Perhaps some few of us, from having drunk a little more than usual of ' very good wine in very good company,' slept rather soundly. Be that, however, as it may; when the morning broke forth, every officer had been robbed, save one, and he had a priest (Bhaut) and a Bheel guard. Nor did the poor siphauces escape; for when they gave the alarm of 'thief! thief!' they were sure to get a blow or wound in the leg or thigh, from a Bheel lying on the ground, or moving about on all-fours, wrapped in a bullock's hide or a sheep-skin, or carrying a bush before or over him; so that the sentries were deceived; and if they fired, they were as likely to hit some of the women or children, or the followers, or the officers, as the Bheel himself; and, had they fired, the Bheel, in the dark, thus placed in a populous camp, had every advantage, his weapon making no noise, and his companions being ready to shoot the siphauee through the head.

"Most of the officers were up during the night, but their presence was useless. Lieutenant B did lay hands on a Bheel, but he literally slipped through his fingers, being naked, his body oiled all over, and his head shaved; and on giving the alarm, one or two arrows were seen to have gone through the cloths of the tent. Were it possible to retain a hold of a Bheel your motions must be quick as lightning; for they carry the blade of

a knife, which is fastened round the neck by a string, and with which, if they find themselves in a dilemma, they will rip up the person holding them. Horses having long tails they take a great fancy to, and some of our's were gone the next morning, but they were of no great value."

I now turn to an admirable essay on these people, from the pen of one of our ablest writers on Oriental history, Sir John Malcolm, published in the first volume of the Transactions of the Royal Asiatic Society. I have been necessarily obliged to render my extracts as brief as possible; but those who would desire farther information, will find a highly interesting account in the volume just quoted.

Sir John Malcolm states, that the Bheels are a distinct and original race, claiming a high antiquity, and that they were once masters of the fertile plains of India, instead of being confined, as they now are, to the rugged mountains and almost impenetrable jungles. The Rajpoot princes deprived them of the fairest portions of their country, leaving them the wild and uncultivated tracts which they now inhabit.

They ascribe their descent to an intercourse between a celestial and terrestial being. Mahadeo became enamoured of an earthly beauty, and had a family by her. One of his sons, alike remarkable for his deformity and vice, slew the sacred bull of his father; for which sacrilege he was banished to the mountains, where he became the founder of a race inheriting his vices and his turbulence, which took the name of Bheels; an appellation that has been, in the course of time, indiscriminately applied to the Chandala and Nishada (outcasts of spurious birth), many of whom dwell among them.

The Bheels are divided into many tribes, the chiefs of which claim a distinct celestial origin, in addition to their common divine descent. Some of these tribes have been converted to Mahomedanism, but the larger part of them are professedly Hindus. They worship the same deities, but limit their ceremonies to propitiating the minor infernal deities, particularly Sita Maya (Shetula), the goddess of the small-pox, whom they invoke under various names, in the hopes of averting its dreadful ravages. They pay great reverence to Mahadeo.

The names of the other deities principally worshipped are not (excepting Kali) commonly met with in Hindu mythology. The following is a list of them, and the occasions on which the Bheels deem it necessary to propitiate their favour.

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Kali, on many occasions. as presiding over village cultivators. against the ravages of wild beasts. datory journies and undertakings. cattle from sickness and plundering. Devi Kanail; for a good ripening of their corn and for plenty. Behyu Baji, for rain. Baji, for rain. Ghora Raja, against attacks and plunderers. Hallam, worshipped by the Malwa Bheels, at the annual pilgrimage to the large hill of Retna Wal in Bariya. Chamconda Mata is the goddess of harvest, and the first of every grain cut is offered to her. Howin Wana, Mata, against murrain and lameness among their cattle. Bhulbae Mata, in times of epidemic sickness, cholera, &c. Badri Bae and Ghona, small-pox." Bullocks are offered to Hatipowa and Waghacha Kunwer; to the others, fowls and he-goats: a male bird to the male deities, and a female to the female ones. Their usual ceremonies consist in merely smearing the idol, which is seldom any thing but a shapeless stone, with vermilion and red lead or oil; offering, with prostrations and a petition, an animal and some liquor, casting a small portion of each with some pulse into the fire, and then partaking of the flesh and remaining liquor,” after giving the presiding Rawel or Bhat his share.

Hatipowa, at the Davali and Dusrah feasts,

Waghacha Kunwer, to protect them Halemata, to protect them in their preKhorial Mata, for protection to the

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Besides these the Bheels have a numerous race of Ráwets, or hill gods, of whom Bhillet is the most reverenced, in consequence of his successes under Bhairava, the son of Siva. The Barwas are votaries of the hill gods, and are imagined to be endowed with the hereditary gift of inspiration. They also act as physicians, and cure trifling complaints by means of simples. When the disease is beyond their cure, they attribute it to the evil influence of dhakans, or witches, of whose power the Bheels entertain a strong and superstitious belief. The Barwas are always consulted previous to the commencement of a plundering excursion. (See Barwas.)

The Bheels have among them the distinctions of white and black (pure

or impure) Bheels, not in consequence of their complexions, but from the habits of the tribes thus distinguished. The white Bheels are said to have descended from Rajpoots, who in former times lost their caste. These refrain from carrion and animals that have died a natural death, which the impure Bheels do not.

The Bheels often make small mud figures of horses, which they range round the idol, to whom they promise a fine charger if he will hear their petition; and it is not unusual to place the image upon one of these figures. The extreme reverence of this rude race for the horse is very singular, and in many of their legends the principal event depends on the assistance of an enchanted horse.

The Bheels never build or frequent pagodas, or temples, but in general select for a place of worship some particular tree, which is consecrated by a few large stones put on an elevated terrace of mud, which is constructed at its root. In some places, however, a small open shed is erected for some particularly sacred image.

"At the Dasahará (or Dusrah) many of the Bheels resort to the principal neighbouring towns to celebrate that feast, and sacrifice at the outside of the village to Durga, a goddess to whom they at all times pay adoration. But the most singular, and, perhaps, the original worship of the Bheels, is that which they pay to their deceased ancestors or chiefs of note. On the death of one of these, a brass bull or horse is formed, and delivered to the Bhaut, who makes an annual circuit of the hamlets with this image, performing the requisite ceremonies, and commemorating, in songs, the fame of the deceased; for which service he receives, as his dues, a piece of cloth, and the vessels and other articles used in the sacrifice. It is also common for the Bheels to raise, on such occasions, a cairn, or rude pile of stones, to the chief who is beatified; and the top of this pile is, at particular periods of worship, covered with oil, red-lead, and vermilion.

"The fixing of a marriage between a young couple is managed entirely by their relations. When the parents desire to marry their son, they send some friends to the parents of the girl whom they wish to become their son's bride. These make proposals, and present some (gur) raw sugar and