1747.—"Given to the Ircaras for bringing news of the Engagement. (Pag.) 4 3 0."—Fort St David, Expenses of the Paymaster, under January. MS. Records in India Office.
1748.—"The city of Dacca is in the utmost confusion on account of ... advices of a large force of Mahrattas coming by way of the Sunderbunds, and that they were advanced as far as Sundra Col, when first descried by their Hurcurrahs."—In Long, 4.
1757.—"I beg you to send me a good alcara who understands the Portuguese language."—Letter in Ives, 159.
" "Hircars or Spies."—Ibid. 161; [and comp. 67].
1761.—"The head Harcar returned, and told me this as well as several other secrets very useful to me, which I got from him by dint of money and some rum."—Letter of Capt. Martin White, in Long, 260.
[1772.—"Hercarras." (See under [DALOYET].)]
1780.—"One day upon the march a Hircarrah came up and delivered him a letter from Colonel Baillie."—Letter of T. Munro, in Life, i. 26.
1803.—"The hircarras reported the enemy to be at Bokerdun."—Letter of A. Wellesley, ibid. 348.
c. 1810.—"We were met at the entrance of Tippoo's dominions by four hircarrahs, or soldiers, whom the Sultan sent as a guard to conduct us safely."—Miss Edgeworth, Lame Jervas. Miss Edgeworth has oddly misused the word here.
1813.—"The contrivances of the native halcarrahs and spies to conceal a letter are extremely clever, and the measures they frequently adopt to elude the vigilance of an enemy are equally extraordinary."—Forbes, Or. Mem. iv. 129; [compare 2nd ed. i. 64; ii. 201].