The Memoirs of Bābur 910.7.8

910.7.8

Along the Bārān people take masses of cranes (_tūrna_) with the cord; masses of _aūqār_, _qarqara_ and _qūṯān_ also.[857] This method of bird-catching is unique. They twist a cord as long as the arrow's[858] flight, tie the arrow at one end and a _bīldūrga_[859] at the other, and wind it up, from the arrow-end, on a piece of wood, span-long and wrist-thick, right up to the _bīldūrga_. They [Sidenote: Fol. 142b.] then pull out the piece of wood, leaving just the hole it was in. The _bīldūrga_ being held fast in the hand, the arrow is shot off[860] towards the coming flock. If the cord twists round a neck or wing, it brings the bird down. On the Bārān everyone takes birds in this way; it is difficult; it must be done on rainy nights, because on such nights the birds do not alight, but fly continually and fly low till dawn, in fear of ravening beasts of prey. Through the night the flowing river is their road, its moving water showing through the dark; then it is, while they come and go, up and down the river, that the cord is shot. One night I shot it; it broke in drawing in; both bird and cord were brought in to me next day. By this device Bārān people catch the many herons from which they take the turban-aigrettes sent from Kābul for sale in Khurāsān.