. Our troubles in Poona and the Deccan by Arthur Crawford. With numerous illus. by Horace Van Ruith . , are entirely peopled by Mahommedans, who at onceimpress the observer as worthy of special study. Theirdress, to begin with, is remarkable, inasmuch as they sur-mount the usual Mahommedan jacket, shirt and pyjamas,with a large Brahminical turban, casting a scarf or shawlround their necks, very much in the fashion of that wornby Brahmins in gala dress. Somehow the costume, incon-gruous as it may appear from this description, goes exceed-ingly well with the grave demeanour, handsome features,an
. Our troubles in Poona and the Deccan by Arthur Crawford. With numerous illus. by Horace Van Ruith . , are entirely peopled by Mahommedans, who at onceimpress the observer as worthy of special study. Theirdress, to begin with, is remarkable, inasmuch as they sur-mount the usual Mahommedan jacket, shirt and pyjamas,with a large Brahminical turban, casting a scarf or shawlround their necks, very much in the fashion of that wornby Brahmins in gala dress. Somehow the costume, incon-gruous as it may appear from this description, goes exceed-ingly well with the grave demeanour, handsome features,and dignified bearing of the wearers. They are usuallyrather above the average height and always well built,with small, well-proportioned hands and feet; their profiles 156 OUR TROUBLES IN POONA AND THE DECCAN. are clear cut, the nose generally aquiline; full frank eyes,and massive foreheads; the whole betokening their descentfrom the best Mahommedan blood in Northern India. Theirpresence as superior landowners in this out-of-the-way partof Western India, is very difficult to account for; but prob-. THE KONKANEE MUSSULMAN. ably their ancestors received grants of their lands for servicesperformed during the Mogul and Beejapur dynasties. Judgingfrom the number of ruined mosques and Peers (saints)tombs scattered about, there must have been rather a largeMahommedan population in that neighbourhood at some time KONKANEE MAHOMMEDANS. 157 or other before the Peishvvas raj. Large numbers of them,however, abandoned their lands and villages as they becamesurrounded by Brahmin and Mahratta Khotes. ^ A few ofthe wealthier of the best old families only remain now, andmany of these are dying out or have been driven by adversecircumstances to seek a livelihood elsewhere. Mahommedansare invariably kind and liberal landlords, but they areshockingly bad farmers and cultivators, and their personalexpenditure is lavish and extravagant compared with thatof their Hindoo neighbours. As a natural conseq
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