generally be compelled to pafs the remainder of their lives in folitary widowhood.

From the early period of fix years of age, all Rajepoot females are concealed from the fight and converfation of men, except their nearest relations. In the table of confanguinity on this occafion are included fathers, uncles, brothers, and coufins.

With these exceptions, a Rajepoot lady would confider her reputation as fullied by exposure to the fight of a man. To fo high a pitch indeed do they carry their proud fense of honour in regard to the female character, that it not unfrequently terminates in a manner most ferocious and lamentable..

When an honourable Rajepoot, whofe family is with him, finds himself surrounded by the enemy, and a force fo fuperior that the hope or poffibility of escape is utterly excluded, he firft enquires whether, if by furrender, he can fecure the honour of his family. Should this be found impracticable, or even doubtful, he forms and immediately executes his defperate

project. Clothing himself in a yellow dress, which is the fymbol of defpair, he, in company with others of his neareft relations, repairs to the apartments of the women, when the whole of the females are involved in a promifcuous and indifcriminate flaughter; the women themselves, on this occafion, not unfrequently raising their hands against their own lives!

On the completion of this horrid deed, the furious Rajepoot, rufhing out like a lion, bears down every thing before him: it is death alone that can fatisfy him for the lofs of his tendereft and deareft connections. In this inftance alone will he strike a falling foe. has lately committed works

The act which he

him up to a state

of abfolute infanity. Defpair gives him courage more than mortal; and if, by his enthufiaftic and furious onfet, he should chance to overcome the enemy, though ever so superior in point of numbers, when opposition is abfolutely at an end, and his frame exhausted with fatigue, is on the point of yielding to nature, he difdains to furvive the lofs of his family, but terminates the awful fcene by generously plunging his fword into his own bofom!

For thefe and other obftinate prejudices, the Rajepoots have been accused of cruelty; but it must be confidered, in extenuation of the act, that this refolution is founded on principle; it is imbibed in their infancy, and almost fucked in with their parent food; that it is justified by cuftom and precedent, and that a Rajepoot who fhould furvive the difhonour of his wife and family, would be treated by his brethren to the remainder of his life with contempt and never-ending reproach.

Although the circumstances above related do fometimes occur, it is by no means frequent, fince the spirit of this people being known, it is not difficult to be avoided.

Throughout Hindooftan the fanctity of the haram is in general refpected; and, except in cases of resistance, hostility is seldom carried to extremity; while on the contrary it not unfrequently happens that, by a previous stipulation between the contending parties, the females of either family are accustomed to afk and to receive the protection of their enemies.

The Rhatores intermarry with other tribes, but of the pureft blood, though they will not give their children either to the Bundeelabs, Scindiahs, or Holkars, whom they consider of inferior cast and impure blood.

The cuftom of putting to death the females of the family, as remarked on a former occafion, likewife obtains among the Rhatore Rajepoots; although one of their late princes, rajah Beejah Sing, by prohibiting the shedding of blood of any kind throughout his dominions, endeavoured to reclaim them from this fanguinary prejudice; the prefent fovereign of Joudpoor, by name Becun Sing, being a weak prince, effeminate, and luxurious, his fubjects have already relapfed into their ancient and moft abhorred cuftom. The chief force of Joudpoor is in cavalry, and has always been confidered as formidable.

Their horfes are good; and their strength in cavalry Mr. Thomas computes at twenty-five thousand men; though, fince the acceffion of the late rajah, and in their wars with the Mahrattas, they have seldom been able to bring into

the field more than twenty thousand Rhatore Rajepoots.

1

The rajah of Joudpoor has generally in his pay from four to fix thoufand mercenaries, two thousand of which are cavalry; and in cafes of emergency he might expect to be joined by the troops of Beykaneer. His force in cavalry may on the whole be estimated at thirty thousand men.

On their infantry, like many others in the interior parts of India, they place but small reliance, being feldom employed except in the garrifons.

The artillery is numerous, and confifts of feveral hundred pieces of cannon, most of which were taken by the ancestors of the prefent rajah, when that prince surprised the camp of the emperor Aurung Zebe, in the defiles of the Rhatore mountains, on the return of the imperial army from the Deccan.*

* Consult Dow's History of Hindoostan, vol. iii.