Firishta's History (Gulshan-i Ibrāhīmī) 97.3.6

97.3.6

and it is so fashionable at the present day, that even learned divines and philosophers, as well as nobles and princes, practise duelling; and if their children show any backwardness in this way they do not esteem them as lads of proper spirit. As an instance of which, the writer of these pages (Mahomed Kasim Ferishta) saw the following transaction occur in the streets of Beejapoor. Syud Moortuza and Syud Hussun, two brothers whose beards were grey, and who were in high estimation at court, had a trifling dispute with three Deccanies, who were also brothers, who frequented the court, and were also respectable grey-headed men. First, the son of Syud Moortuza, a youth of twenty, engaged one of the Deccanies, but was immediately killed. The father and uncle engaged the other two Deccanies, and they were also killed; and before their bodies could be removed and buried, the three opponents died of the wounds they had received, so that, in a few minutes, six respectable persons, who had no real animosity towards each other, were lost to their relatives and to society. The Mahomedans of the Deccan are certainly very expert in the use of the sword, and particularly in single combat; but as they generally practise on foot, and do not accustom themselves to throwing the lance on horseback, they are inferior as cavalry; and their skill is of no avail when acting in masse. of infantry, though in private quarrels, and street contentions, they fight like lions.