Page:The People of India — a series of photographic illustrations, with descriptive letterpress, of the races and tribes of Hindustan Vol 4.djvu/43

 GHOLAM MAHOMED. (181)

HIS tribe is a branch of the Bhuttees, who, as descrbed in the preceding article, were the original immigrants into the North-West Provinces from Jeysuhnere, and became voluntary converts to Mahomedanism in the reign of Aurangzeeb. The tribe assert that they are descended from Wuttoo, a brother of Bhutta, the mythical lord of the Bhuttees, who settled on the banks of the Sutlej, on the lands to which they are now confined, and to which they have given their own name. They are in all respects like their brethren the Bhuttees: ignorant, fanatical, and unprogressive, but probably not so lawless in character as the Pachadas, and have become more Mahomedanized than they have. The person illustrated is a good specimen of the tribe, and is in comfortable circumstances. He wears a quilted chintz tunic, a loongee or waist cloth, and a shawl over his chest and shoulders. Many Hindoo customs still exist among the tribe, especially among their women, at maniages, and other domestic ceremonies. They rarely many out of their own sect, nor at any distance from their own possessions. They indulge in opium, but do not use spirituous or fermented liquors in any form. The greater proportion of them are agriculturists, but some are merchants in a limited capacity, and few of the Wuttoos are rich, or have the intelligence to become so.

There is another tribe of similar extraction to the Bhuttees to be found in the North-West Provuices, but it is now much dispersed. It is called Rhaeen, and originally occupied a tract of country between Bhutnair of Bikaneer and Futtehabad of Hissar. These lands they cultivated and grazed, until, about the time of Timour's invasion, when they were pressed upon by the Bhuttees, and compelled to emigrate. They then settled largely near Bareilly, in Rohilcund, and in other localities of the North-West Provinces and the Punjab. This tribe is described to be peaceful and laborious in agriculture. They are also found in great numbers in the Jullundur Dooab which is looked upon as their head quarters.

In diet and general character the Rhaeens do not differ from ordinary Mahomedans of the lower class ; but as they are too pour to eat meat habitually,