BATNIANS, the inhabitants of a country in the north-east of Hindostan, bounded on the north by the Pendjab, and the river Setledge, and on the east by the district of Hurrianah, on the west by the De sert, and on the south by the Beykaneer. The ter ritory of the Batnians is about 75 geographical miles wide from east to west, and 150 long from north to south. The cultivated part of the country extends along the banks of the Cuggur, from Futtahbad to Batnir, the capital. The inundation of the country by the streams with which they are traversed, occa sions an uncommon fertility in the soil, and enables it to produce wheat, rice, and barley, in great quantities. The higher parts of the country produce the grain which is common throughout India; but in the other districts, where they are deprived of water, the soil is extremely barren.
Batnir, the capital of the district, and the resi dence of its rajah, is about 200 miles west of Delhi, and 40 miles south of Batinda. The other cities are Arroah, Futtahbad, Sirsah, and Ranyah ; and these, with the numerous villages around, contain a population sufficient to furnish an army of 20,000 men, without any injury to agriculture. For some years past, however, the emigration of the Batnians to the countries west of Auhd, has considerably re duced the population. Though the territory of the Batnians is separated from the countries west of the Indus by an extensive desert, about 100 miles in length, they often venture in bodies across this track less waste, to invade the territories which it bounds. Furnished with all the implements of war, and having their camels loaded with bread, water, and other provi sions, which they deposit in different parts of the de sert, they select guides, whose orders are implicitly obeyed during the journey, but who lose all their autho rity as soon as they reach the frontier of their enemies.
In this adventurous march the guides conduct them selves by the sun during the day, and by the pole. star at night ; and in cloudy weather, without any of these bodies to direct them, they frequently reach the very spots where their provisions are deposited, sometimes they lose their way, and return to the very spct from which they set out The Batnians are remarkably cruel. and ferocious.' They are robbers from their and even when they meet with no resistance, they do not scruple to mur der the unhappy victims whom they plunder. The rajah himself participates in the booty of his subjects.• In their expeditions to the territories of Sahib-Sing, Loll-Sing, and Bang-Sing, celebrated chiefs among the Seiks, they have generally been successful ; and they have alternately laid waste the country of the Baloutehiani, the district of Hurrianah,"and the vince of Beykaneer.
The Batnian women arc allowed to appear in pub-. lie unveiled ; and, excepting those of the chiefs, they'. are permitted to remain in the company of the men, whose flocks they tend. The Batnians are Mahome-' tans. They smoke tobacco to a great degree ; and in all their occupations they are never seen without their huhka in their mouth. The Batnians import. white cloths, sugar, and cloth, and export horses, buffaloes, camels, and their superfluous rice. (Q)