'Travels in Beloochistan and Sinde; accompanied by a geographical and historical account of those countries, with a map.' [‎292] (334/476)

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history of beloochistan.
whether headed by the Khan in person or his deputy, that distinc
tion appertains alone to them.
A code of regulations for the administration of justice was
formed by one of the earliest Princes of the Kumburanee tribe,
which entailed the entire task of that important duty on the person
at the head of the government; and, consequently, when the domi
nions of that family became so widely spread, as they were during
Nusseer Khan's reign, the laws were found inadequate to the pro
posed end. That wise legislator, therefore, set himself about remedy
ing this evil; and the part of his territories which now remain to his
^ son is governed by his regulations. In cases of murder the Khan
always sits in judgement; nor is any other chief in the country con
sidered competent to do so, unless by special permission. The
usual laws on that head are as follow.
If a man kill another, and the relations of the deceased are
willing, it is usually expiated by imprisonment and heavy fines. In
the extreme case of not being able to come to terms, blood for blood
may be demanded ; and, as the Khan endeavours to evade actually
passing sentence of death himself, he usually delivers the offender
over to the friends of the person whom he has killed, to do as they
like with him. This plan is usually successful in saving the man's
life, and he is kept as a slave at hard labour. To this latter law there
is, however, one unerring exception, which speaks highly in praise of
the feelings and policy that dictated it; that is, when the murdered
person is a foreigner, for then, every one concerned in his death is
immediately executed. Next to murder, burglary and robberies at
night are the crimes most severely punished ; and when either are
clearly proved, death is always awarded. Theft by day, and ordi
nary crimes, such as shop-lifting, picking pockets, &c., are subject to
flogging and imprisonment, according to the extent or value of the
articles stolen.
A man who discovers his wife committing adultery, may put her
and her lover both to death ; but he must bring two respectable
witnesses to attest the fact, else it is treated as a case of murder. In