Page:The People of India — a series of photographic illustrations, with descriptive letterpress, of the races and tribes of Hindustan Vol 6.djvu/113

 JUMAL KHAN.—DOOMKEE. (301)

HE territory held by this tribe lies between that of the Muzarees on the the north, and the Boordees on the south, General Jacob considering them the most formidable and warlike of all the Beloch tribes of hill or plain. They were engaged in the war against the Beloch hill tribes in 1845, and some of them surrendered to Sir Charles Napier, in his memorable occupation of the Trukkee fastness in that year. General Jacob reports of them:—

"The chief of the tribe is Beloch Khan. He resides at Lharee, which, with a large tract of land in the neighbourhood, belongs to him. The Doomkees also formerly possessed Poolajee, and various other places in its neighbourhood, from which they had driven the rightful owners, the Kahiris, who, about the year 1828, abandoned the country, and fled into Sind. The Doomkees are said to have come originally from Persia, and to have derived their name from Doombuk, a hill of that country. They are a most hardy, brave, and warlike race, resembling in their character and manners the Bedouin Arabs. Their habits are predatory, and they are all horsemen."

The chief of the tribe, Beloch Khan, being of peaceable disposition and indolent temperament, never joined in the predatory exploits of his clan; but, with a portion of his tribe, resided in ease and quiet at Lharee. His kinsman, Beejar Khan, who resided at and possessed Poolajee, commanded the whole warlike power of the Doomkees and the Jekranees, who associated with them. After Sir C. Napier's hill campaign in 1845, that portion of the Doomkee tribe which had surrendered to him at Trukkee, was placed under a chief by name Jumal Khan, the subject of the illustration, on lands near Janadeyra, on the Sind frontier. Durya Khan and Toork Ali, with the Jekranees and some men of other clans, are settled at Janadeyra itself and its neighbourhood. These lands were granted for three years rent free, which was afterwards altered, at Major Jacob's request, to a free grant in perpetuity: for it was expected they would now take to agricultural pursuits, and entirely forsake their former predatory habits; and a commissioner,