8
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
the game with great excitement and at the
risk of casualties. The first day I was at Astor, I had the greatest difficulty in restor ing to his senses a youth of the name of Rustem Ali who, like a famous player of the same name at Mardo, was passionately fond of the game, and had been thrown from his horse. The place of meeting near Astor is called the 'Idgah. The game is called Top E in Astor, and the grounds for playing it are called SHAJARAN. At Ghilgit the game is called BULLA, and the place SHAwar.AN. The latter names are evidently of Tibetan origin.
The people are also very fond of target prac tice, shooting with bows, which they use dex terously, but in which they do not excel the people of Nagyr and Hunza. Game is much stalked during the winter. At Astor any game shot on the three principal hills—Tshhamo, a high hill opposite the fort, Demidelden and Tshūlokol—belongs to the Nawāb of Astor
(the sportsman receiving only the head, legs and a haunch) or to his representive, now the Tahsildar Munshi Rozi Khan. At Ghilgit everybody claims what he may have shot, but it is customary for the Nawāb to receive some share of it. Men are especially appointed to watch and track game, and when they discover their whereabouts notice is sent to the villages from which parties issue, accompanied by musi cians, and surround the game. Early in the morning, when the “Löhe’’ dawns, the musicians begin to play and a great noise is made, which frightens the game into the several directions
where the sportsmen are placed. The guns are matchlocks and are called in Ghilgiti turmak and in Astor tumak. At
Ghilgit they manufacture the guns themselves or receive them from Badakhshan.
The balls have
only a slight coating of lead, the inside generally being a little stone. The people of Hanza and Nagyr invariably place their guns on little wooden pegs, which are permanently fixed to the gun and are called dugaza The guns are
much lighter than those manufactured elsewhere, much shorter, and carry much smaller bullets than the matchlock of the Mahárája's troops. They carry very much farther than any native Indian gun, and are fired with almost unnerring
[JANUARY 5, 1872.
ed—are used. There is one kind of stone espe cially which is much used for that purpose ; it is called “ Balósh Batt,” which is found in Hanza, Nagyr, Skardo, and near the De
midelden hill already noticed, at a village call
ed Pareshinghi near
Astor.
It is a very
soft stone, and large cooking utensils are cut out from it, whence the name, “ balósh” kettle, “batt” stone,—“ Balósh Batt.” The stone is cut out with a chisel and hammer; the former is called “Gütt" in Astori and “ Gukk,” in Ghilghiti; the hammer “toã” and “tot shūng,” and in Ghilgiti “ samdenn.” The gun powder is manufactured by the people them selves.”
The people also play at backgammon, [call ed in Astori Patshiis, and Takk in Ghilgiti,j with dice [called in Astori and also in Ghilgiti dall.] Fighting with iron wristbands is confined to the Chilási women, who bring them over their fists, which they are said to use with effect. The people are also fond of wrestling, of but ting each other whilst hopping &c." To play the Jew’s harp is considered merito rious, as King David played it. All other music good Musalmans are bid to avoid.
The “Sitara” [the Eastern Guitar] is said to be much played in Yassen, the people of which country, as well as of Hunza and Nagyr excel in dancing, singing and playing. After
them come the Ghilgitis, then the Astoris, Chilasis &c., &c. The people of Nagyr are a comparatively mild race. They carry on gold washing, which is constantly interrupted by kidnapping parties from the opposite Hunza. The language of Nagyr and Yassen is the
Non-Aryan Khajunſ, and no affinity between that language and any other has yet been traced. The Nagyris are mostly Shiahs. They are short and stout, and fairer than the people of Hunza [the Kunjutis] who are described as “tall skeletons,” and are desperate robbers. The Nagyris understand Tibetan, Persian and Hindu stani. Badakhshan merchants are the only ones
who can travel with perfect safety though Yassen, Chitral and Hunza. Dances fall into two main Divisions : slow
accuracy. For “small shot” little stones of any shape —the longest and oval ones being preferr
or “Báti Harip”– Slow Instrument, and quick “Danni Harip,” = Quick Instrument. The
- “Powder” is called Jebati in Astori, and in Ghilgiti Bien,
dantzil.Salpetre = shör in Astori, and shora in Ghilgiti. Coal =
formant put it, after dividing the whole into six and a half parts to give 5 of saltpetre, 1 of coal, and 3 of Sulphur. Some put less coal in, but it is generally believed that more than the aboye proportion of sulphur would make the powder too
kari The general proportion of the composition is, as my in
explosive,
which is, in both dialects, also the word used for medicinal
powder. It is made of sulphur, saltpetre and coal. Sulphur =
