MUGH. PERS. A follower of Zoroaster, a fire-worshipper, applied by the Arabs and Muham madans similarly to Gabr (Guebre) and Kafir. The term is applied by the people of Bengal to all the Arakanese, and to a race in the Chittagong district, who call themselves Rajbansi in Bengali, and Myam-ma-gyee or Great Myam-ma in Bur mese, doubtless offspring of Bengali women by Burmese ; their dress and language is Bengali, but some are of Buddhist faith. This race form six-tenths of the native population of Amkan, one-tenth being Burmese, and the remainder Hindu. Professor H. H. Wilson says the term Mugh, which the British have given to the Ara kanese, by that people is restricted to the descend ants of Arakanese by Bengali mothers. Colonel Dalton says that in personal appearance the Mugh resemble the Chinese ; the cheek-bone is high and broad, the nose flat, and the eyes oblique. Though short, they are a well-made people, hardy, muscular, and athletic. The hair both of men and women is generally very beautiful, and of a glossy black ; both sexes pride themselves on its fine quality. The dress of the women consists of
a cloth tightly bound round the bosom, and flowing to the feet, and a large outer dress thrown over the whole person, and reaching to the knees. The unmarried women wear a jacket, which is assumed by girls when marriageable, and abandoned when they become wives. It is again adopted upon widowhood. Tho dress of the men is composed of a cloth round the middle, and one thrown over the shoulders. Although somewhat slothful in disposition, they are very fond of hunting, and delight in manly exercises, such as wrestling and boxing, and a game peculiar to the country called Kilome, which is somewhat similar to battledore and shuttlecock, only instead of the hands the feet are employed. They are very partial to boat-racing.—Wilson's Glossary; Dalton's Ethnol. of Bengal, p. 111.