Page:The People of India — a series of photographic illustrations, with descriptive letterpress, of the races and tribes of Hindustan Vol 7.djvu/112

BHEELS OF THE SATPOORA RANGE. of the wall, as well to keep out the wind, as to form a channel of drainage when rain falls. Huts are not clustered together, but each family settles on its own reclaimed spot, and moves when the soil is exhausted, or sickness appears, or, as is often supposed, the place is haunted by spirits and demons, and children and cattle die. Where wild animals abound, the Bheel builds a sleeping stage for his family, raised about nine feet from the ground. Over this is a rough thatch, and the floor is of bamboos neatly put together. In this the Bheel, with all his family, sleeps at night, whatever valuables he possesses being removed to it.

The Bheel who cultivates, and, more or less, all do so, raises grain of a coarse description, millets, kooki, and the like, which are easily grown; also a few gourds and pumpkins, and vegetables, which, with the meat gained by the chase, form his rudely dressed food. But he generally disposes of his grain to the Bunnea of the nearest village, where also he and his wives carry firewood, grass, honey, gums, jungle fruits for preserves and pickles, and in the spring season, the young tender shoots of the bamboo. These articles are exchanged for cash, or for cloths and implements, or bartered for liquor, which is ever an especial need, a few spices and other condiments, as salt and the like. Many of them understand the art of distillation, and make spirits from the sweet capsules of the mohwah flower, which are not unlike coarse dried raisins, and the tree grows abundantly in all localities frequented by them. They also collect the mohwah flowers as they fall, and sell them to the distillers. While meat of all kinds, cattle, deer, goats, pigs, fowls, hares, and even wild rats and birds are eaten by the Bheels, they will not touch the flesh of animals who have died from disease, or carrion eating animals, such as tigers, leopards, and hyenas; they do not object to the flesh of cows or buffaloes, and in this respect differ from other wild tribes professing Hindooism, in however lax a degree.

The religion of the Bheels is absolute fetishism. They reverence Bobadeo, or Mahadeo, from whom they believe they are descended, and hold certain groves or parts of their forests sacred to him, in which no tree is allowed to be cut except under a propitiatory sacrifice of a goat. In these groves and in other places, sacrifices to local deities under various names, to Devi, or Bhowauee, when small-pox is prevalent, are frequently made, and attended by members of the tribe. They also frequent festivals at certain Hindoo temples of sanctity, in common with others, and make offerings to Brahmins. They are firm believers in witchcraft exercised by women, and when suspected of this practice, which is proved by a kind of ordeal which must be submitted to, women are not unfrequently put to death. It is probable that instances of such proceedings were by no means rare in former times; but the more effectual supervision of the police conservatory of forests, and the like, have exposed even the boldest of the Bheels to continual observation, and crime among them is now materially checked. Blood feuds are,