The manner of fighting of this animal is very interesting, and its method of stooping down and rising up again is a source of great amuse­ment. Hence His Majesty pays much attention to this animal, and has succeeded in training this stubborn and timid creature. One hundred and one deer are kháçah; each has a name, and some peculiar qualities. A keeper is placed over every ten. There are three kinds of fighting deer, first, those which fight with such as are born in captivity and with wild ones; secondly, such as fight best with tame ones; and thirdly, such as fiercely attack wild deer. The fights are conducted in three different ways. First, according to number, the first fighting with the second, the third with the fourth, and so on, for the whole. At the second go, the first fights with the third, the second with the fourth, and so on. If a deer runs away, it is placed last; and if it is known to have run away three times, it ceases to be kháçah. Betting on these fights is allowed; the stake does not exceed 5 dáms. Secondly, with those belonging to the princes. Five kháçah pair fight with each other, and afterwards, two kháçah pair from His Majesty's hunting-ground; then five other kháçah pair. At the same time two pair from the deer park of His Majesty's hunting-ground fight, and afterwards five kháçah deer engage with five deer of the eldest prince. Then fourteen kháçah pair engage with each other, and fight afterwards with the deer of the prince, till the fight with the deer of the prince is finished. Upon this, the deer of princes fight with each other, and then kháçah deer. The betting on such fights must not exceed one muhur. Thirdly, with the deer of other people.

His Majesty selects forty-two from his nearer friends, and appoints every two of them as opponents, forming thus one and twenty sets. The first winners receive each thirty deer, and all others get one less, so that the last get each eleven. To every set a Mal,* a water-buffalo, a cow, a quchqár (fighting ram), a goat, and a cock, are given. Fights between cows and goats are rarely mentioned to have been held in ancient times. Before the fighting commences, two kháçah deer are brought in trimmed up, and are set against two deer belonging to people of various sets. First, with a deer belonging to a powerful grandee, and then the fight takes place before His Majesty. If a general assembly is announced, the fight may also take place, if the deer belongs to a commander of One Thousand. The betting on kháçah deer is eight muhurs, and on deer belonging to one of a set, five muhurs, if it be an Aṭkal; and four, if an Anín. As deer have not equal strength and impetuosity of attack, the rule among deer-keepers is, once to select each of their deer in turn and take it to the arena. Such deer are called Anín. Another then estimates its strength, and brings a deer as opponent. The latter is called Aṭkal. In case of Mals, the betting is five muhurs; for water buffaloes and cocks, four; for cows and fighting rams, and goats, two. A commander of One Thousand is allowed to bet six muhurs on a kháçah deer; and with one of his own rank,* 3¾ muhurs, if the bet is on an Aṭkal; and three on an Anín; and so also in the same proportion on Mals, water-buffaloes, and cocks; but on cows, fighting rams, and goats, two. A commander of Nine Hundred may bet on a kháçah deer 50 Rupees; and with one of his own rank, 30¼ R. on an Aṭkal, and 25 R. on an Anín; on a Mal 31/8 muhurs; on a water-buffalo and a cock 3¼ M.; and on all other animals, 1½ M. A commander of Eight Hundred is allowed to bet 48 R. on a kháçah deer; with one of his rank, 30 R. on an Aṭkal; and 24 R. on an Anín; on a Mal 31/3 M.; on a water-buffalo and cock, 2½ M., and on other animals, as before. A commander of Seven Hundred is allowed to bet 44 R. on a kháçah deer; with one of his own rank on an Aṭkal 27½ R.; on an Anín 22 R.; on a Mal 3 M; on other animals as before. A Commander of Six Hundred may bet 40 R. on a kháçah deer; with one of his own rank, 25 R. on an Aṭkal; 20 R. on an Anín; on other animals as before. A Commander of Five Hundred may bet 4 M. [36 R.] on a kháçah deer; with one of his own rank 2½ M. on an Aṭkal, and 2 M. on a Anín; on other animals, as the preceding. A Commander of Four Hundred may bet 34 R. on a kháçah deer; with one of his own rank 21½ R. on an Aṭkal; 17 R. on an Anín; on a Mal 2¾ M.; on a water-buffalo and cock, 2 M.; on a cow, a fighting ram, and goat, 1 M. A Commander of Three Hundred may bet 30 R. on a kháçah deer; with one of his own rank, 18¾ R. on an Aṭkal; 15 R. on an Anín; 2½ M. on a Mal; on other animals as the preceding. A Commander of Two Hundred may bet 24 R. on a kháçah deer; with one of his own rank 15 R. on an Aṭkal, 12 R. on an Anín, and on other animals as before. A Commander of One Hundred may bet 2 M. on a kháçah deer; with one of his own rank 1½ M. on an Aṭkal; 1 M. on an Anín; and on other animals as before. A Commander of Eighty may bet 16 R. on a kháçah deer; with one of his own rank 10 R. on an Aṭkal; 8 R. on an Anín; 17 R. on a Mal; 1½ M. on a water-buffalo and a cock; on other animals as before. A Commander of Forty may bet 12 R. on a kháçah deer; with one of his own rank 7½ R. on an Aṭkal; 6 R. on a Anín; on other animals as before. A Commander of Twenty may bet 10 R. on a kháçah deer; 6½ R. with one of his own rank on an Aṭkal; 5 R. on an Anín; on other animals as before, A Commander of Ten may bet 8 R. on a kháçah deer, and 5 R. on an Aṭkal, with one of his own rank; 4 R. on an Anín; on other animals as before. People who hold no mançabs, bet 4 R. on a kháçah deer; with one of their own rank, 2½ R. on an Aṭkal; 2 R. on an Anín; 15 R. on a Mal; on other animals as before.

But if the opponent hold a less rank, the amount of the bet is deter­mined according to the amount which the opponent is allowed to bet on an Anín. When the last pair comes, the betting is everywhere on the deer. A fourth part of what people take from each other in Mal fights, is given to the victorious wrestler. The presents which His Majesty makes on such occasions, have no limits.

The rule is that every one of such as keep animals brings on the fourteenth night of the moon one deer to the fight. The Bitikchí of this department appoints half the number of deer as Aníns, and the other half as Aṭkals. He then writes the names of the Aṭkals on paper slips, folds them up, and takes them to His Majesty, who takes up one. The animal chosen has to fight with an Anín. As such nights are clear, fights are generally announced for that time.

Besides, there are two other classes of deer, kotal, and half kotal. The number of each is fixed. As often the number of kháçah deer decreases, the deficiency is made up from the kotal deer; and the deficiency in the number of kotals is made up from half kotals. One pair of kotals also is brought to the fight, so that they may be tried. Hunters supply continually wild deer, and bring them to His Majesty, who fixes the price. A fat superior deer costs 2 M.; a thin superior one, 1 M. to 15 R.; a fat middling one, 12 R.; Do. lean, 8 R.; a third class fat one, 7 R.; Do. thin, 5 R.; a fourth class fat one, 4 R.; Do. lean, 2½ to 2 R.

Deer are kept and fed as follows: Kháçah deer selected for fighting before His Majesty, get 2 s. grain, ½ s. boiled flour, 1/3 s. butter, and 1 d. for grass. Such as are kept on His Majesty's hunting-grounds, kotals, and fight­ing deer of the sets, get 1¾ s. of grain, and flour and butter as before. The grass is supplied by each amateur himself. All kháçah, home-bred, kotal deer, and those of His Majesty's hunting-ground, have each one keeper. The fighting deer of the sets have one keeper for every two; the single last one has a keeper for itself. Nothing is given for grass. Deer which are given to people to have them fattened, get 1¾ s. grain, and ½ d. for grass. They have one keeper for every four; but one for every two, if they are fit to become kháçah. Some deer are also sent to other towns; they get 1½ s. grain, and have each one keeper. If deer are newly caught, they get no regular food for seven days, after which they get ½ s. of grain for a fort­night. They then get 1 s., and when one month is over, 1½ s.

In the deer park, Mançabdárs, Ahadís, and other soldiers are on staff-employ. The pay of foot-soldiers varies from 80 to 400 d.

His Majesty has 12,000 deer; they are divided into different classes, and proper regulations are made for each of them. There is also a stud for deer, in which new results are obtained. A large female gets 1½ s. grain, and ½ d. for grass. A new born deer drinks the milk of the dam for two months, which is reckoned as equivalent to ¼ s. of grain. Afterwards, every second month, the allowance is increased by a quarter ser of grain, so that after a period of two years, it gets the same as its dam. For grass, ¼ d. is given from the seventh to the tenth month. Young male ones also get weaned after two months, when they get 3/8 s. of grain, which is increased by that quantity every second month, so that, after two years, they get 2¼ s. From the fifth to the eighth month, they get ½ d. for grass, after which period they get ½ d. for grass.

I have given a short description of animal fights as announced for general assemblies. His Majesty announces them also for day time; but as often a more important act of worship is to be performed, he announces them for the night. Or else His Majesty thinks of God, and seeks for wisdom in self-examination; he cares neither for cold nor heat; he spends the time which others idle away in sleep, for the welfare of the people, and prefers labour to comfort.