'Travels in Beloochistan and Sinde; accompanied by a geographical and historical account of those countries, with a map.' [‎63] (105/476)

BELOOCHES.
63
whom the visitor turns, as if to appeal for information; they all nod
assent to being in good health ; and the ceremony concludes, by the
new-comer making an equal number of inquiries for the welfare of
the family, Kheil or society, followers, and friends of the Sirdar Leader of a tribe or a polity; also refers to a military rank or title given to a commander of an army or division. .
By nature the Belooches are extremely indolent, and, unless occupied
by some favourite amusement, they will spend whole days in loung
ing from one Ghedan to another, smoking and gambling ; many of
them are addicted to the pernicious custom of chewing opium and
Bhung *, but I neither met with, or heard of a single instance of
habitual ebriety, from spirituous liquors or wine ; in fact that species
of the vice of drunkenness seems to be unknown amongst them.
Their various foods are wheaten and barley cakes, rice, dates, cheese,
sweet and sour milk, which last they infinitely prefer; soup made
from dholl, or peas, and seasoned with red pepper, and other heat
ing herbs, and flesh-meat whenever they can procure it, including
that of young camels, and every kind of game; of vegetables they
prize onions, garlic, and the leaves and stalk of the asafoetida plant,
which they roast or stew in butter, raw or clarified. They usually
limit themselves to one or two wives, and their chiefs four; but this
totally depends on choice. I saw men of the lowest station, who
had seven or eight living, and Mihrab Khan, chief of the Rukh-
shanees, had just espoused his sixteenth when I was at his capital.
They treat their women with attention and respect, and are not so
scrupulous about their being seen by strangers as most other Moo-
sulmans, although they by no means allow them to appear in public
at all times.
The Belooches keep great numbers of slaves of both sexes, the
fruits of their Chupaos, whom they treat with a kindness and liber
ality that is quite gratifying to see. When first taken, they look
upon themselves as the most unfortunate beings in existence, and,
to say the truth, the treatment they then experience, is of the
* Cannabis Sativa.