Memoir on Thar and

in numbers and importance. Until of late years, the Nomads of the Desert depended
chiefly on their herds and flocks for their maintenance. They lived in a primitive and
patriarchal style, each tribe being peaceably ruled by its elders, while they all moved
about from district to district according to circumstances, in search of forage for their
extensive herds and flocks. Of late years, however, they have, by reason of the greater
security of person and property in the Thurr, turned their attention more to agricultural
pursuits ; and instead of moving about as formerly with their families, in search of forage,
when the grass on their native sand hills fails, they now more generally leave their
families and elders at home, sending such of the herds and flocks as it may be necessary
to provide for elsewhere towards Kutch, Guzerat, or Mount Aboo, under the care of the
younger members of the tribe. Notwithstanding, however, that these tribes are essentially
nomadic in their habits and pursuits, they have always retained possession of certain
localities in the Thurr, to which, when the supply of grass admitted of it, they returned.
Formerly, when the Desert was more scantily populated than at present, and when
insecurity of person and property prevented the extension of cultivation, these tribes had
no difficulty in retaining possession of these localities; indeed, the different tribes appear
to have tacitly admitted each other’s rights in this respect, and seldom to have encroached
thereon. Of late, however, the increase of population and cultivation, the natural results of
security of person and property, and liberal revenue arrangements, have materially altered
the social arrangements of these tribes, who now endeavor to appropriate all the
cultivable land in the vicinity of their respective thurrs or hamlets. The male portion of
these tribes are in general very fine, athletic men; they are remarkably well behaved.
27. The next class of people to be noticed is the Bheel population, which again is divided
into tribes. One tribe, called “Mays,” reside along the edge of the Runn, east of Ballyaree;
they consider themselves, and justly so, as ranking far above the Bheels of the Desert
generally. Under the Ameers of Sind, this tribe occupied nineteen thurrs, or hamlets or
watering places, in the locality above indicated, free of all land tax. This privilege was
continued to them after the conquest of Sind in 1844, when the heads of the tribe
stipulated to give up all thieves, to be answerable for thefts traced to their hamlets, and to
be ready to serve Government whenever required. These stipulations have been faithfully
adhered to, while the general conduct of the members of the tribe under the rule of its
elders has been excellent. Of the Bheels occupying the Thurr and Parkur generally, little
need be said. Their rank in the social scale is very low; ignorant of the obligations of
society, they are a good deal addicted to stealing; unaccustomed for generations to
industrial and peaceable pursuits, they hardly knew till lately what such things were. In
some seasons of the year, they think nothing of wandering about the jungle, with nothing
but peeloo fruit and water to live on; generally, however, they look up to and readily
acknowledge the supremacy of the chief or head of the tribe under whose protection they
live. A reference to the criminal returns will show that a large proportion of the crime
committed in the Thurr and Parkur, of late years, has been so by this class; at the same
time it is worthy of remark, and speaks well for the heads of the different tribes, that the
amount of crime committed in these districts has been of late years singularly small. I say
it speaks well for the heads of the different tribes, because it appears to me, that this
<strong>Memoir</strong> on the Thurr and Parkur Districts of Sind. Copyright © www.panhwar.com
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