A´I´N 79.
THE MUSTER OF HORSES.

They begin with the stables of forty; then come the stables of the princes; then the kháçah courier horses; then the country-bred, and all other stables. When the ten muhur horses have been inspected, they bring the Gúṭs, Qisráqs, the horses on which the hunting leopards ride, and the Bárgír horses (vide p. 133, l. 12; p. 135, l. 10 from below, and A´ín 54, p. 139). The place of the horses at the musters, is determined by their value, and in the case of horses of the same value, the precedence is determined by the time of service. Before the musters, the horses are inspected by clever officers, who again fix their value, and divide them into three classes. When the rank of a horse has been put higher or lower, it is placed among his proper class-fellows. Those horses which belong to the third class, form separate stables, and are given away as presents. If horses have their value raised, they are given over to such keepers as bring to the musters either the full complement of their horses, or at least a complement not more deficient than by two. Incomplete stables are daily filled up during the musters; or if not filled up, they are put in charge of separate keepers. Twenty horses are daily mustered. On Sundays, horses are the first that are mustered. Double the usual number are then inspected. Several horses are also kept in waiting at Court, viz., one from each of the sixty to the forty muhur stables, and one more from each of the thirty to the ten muhur stables. They are given away as presents or as parts of salaries. The precedence at musters of bázár-horses is fixed according to the price. According to the number of horses available, from twenty to a hundred are daily mustered. Before the musters, experienced officers fix the prices, which are generally enhanced at the time of the parades. Horses above thirty muhurs, have their value fixed in the presence of His Majesty. A cash-keeper attached to the State­hall is entrusted with money, so that horse-dealers have not to wait long for payment of their claims. When horses have been bought, they are marked with a peculiar brand, so that there may be no fraudulent exchange.

From foresight, and on account of the large profits of the horse-dealers, His Majesty enforces a tax of three Rupees for every 'Iráqí, Mujannas (vide p. 140, note 2), and Arab, imported from Kábul and Persia; two and a half Rupees for every Turkish and Arabian horse imported from Qandahár; and two for Kábul horses, and Indian Arab breed.