A History of the Mahrattas v1.c14.29

v1.c14.29

Their common arms consisted of a sword, shield, and matchlock. Some of the Hetkurees, especially the infantry of Sawunt-Waree, used a species of firelock; the invention of the lock for the flint having been early received from the Portuguese. Every tenth man, instead of firearms, carried a bow and arrows which were useful in night attacks and surprises, when the firearms were kept in reserve or prohibited. The Hetkurees excelled as marksmen; but they could seldom be brought to desperate attacks, sword in hand, for which the Mawulees of Sivajee became celebrated. Both of them possessed an extraordinary facility of climbing, and could mount a precipice or scale a rock with ease, where men of other countries must have run great risk of being dashed to pieces.