Memoir of William Watts McNair | Page 9

two clans. The Vaigal tribe are reckoned the most powerful; this
probably is due to their occupying the largest valley. Each of the three
principal tribes has a dialect different from the other two, but have
several words in common, and as a rule have very little to do with those
inhabiting the other valleys. The entire population is estimated at over
200,000 souls. Their country is picturesque, densely wooded, and wild
in the extreme; the men of fine appearance, with sharp Aryan features
and keen, penetrating eyes; blue eyes are not common but do occur, but
brown eyes and light hair, even to a golden hue, in combination are not
at all uncommon. The general complexion varies to two extremes, that
of extreme fairness--pink rather than blonde, and the other of bronze,
quite as dark as the ordinary Panjabi. The cast of features seems
common to both these complexions, but the fairer men if asked will
indicate the dark men as having come from the south, and that they
themselves have come from the north and east. They are, as is always
the case with hill tribes, short of stature, daring to a fault, but lazy,
leaving all the agricultural work to their womenkind, and spending
their days, when not at war, principally in hunting. They are
passionately fond of dancing, in which both sexes join, scarcely letting
an evening pass without indulging in it around a blasing fire.
The dancing, which I on several occasions witnessed, was invariably

begun by a single female performer appearing on the scene, and after
going through a few graceful movements, a shrill whistle (caused by
inserting two fingers into the month) given by one of the men is the
signal for a change. Several performers then come forward, advancing
and retiring on either side of a huge bonfire, at one end of which were
the musicians--their instruments, a large drum, two kettle-drums, and a
couple of flutes. To this music, more particularly to the beating of the
drums, good time is kept. The whistle sounds again, when immediately
the performers set to partners, if I may use the expression; after a while
they disengage, and begin circling round the fire singly--men and
women alternately. The tamasha ended by again setting to partners;
each couple, holding a stick between them, their feet firmly planted on
the ground and close together, spin round at a great pace, first from
right to left and then from left to right. None objected to my taking part
in this performance, but, for the indulgence, I had to pay as forfeit
several strings of beads and shells, a few looking-glasses, and some
needles, which I presented to those of the fairer sex only.
The houses are generally built on the slopes of the hills; the lower story
is of stone, from 12 to 15 feet high, but is not used for cattle even,
which are kept apart in stone byres. Timber is stored in these lower
stories, as also the ordure of cattle, which is used as fuel, especially for
smoking their cheeses. This cheese is made daily, and is of the nature
of cream cheese, and when fresh is not bad. On the roof of this lower
story, leaving a space all round to walk, rises the actual habitation,
which is of wood entirely, and contains only one or two rooms; these
are neat enough, but very dark. The door and door-frames are roughly
carved with figures and scrolls. There is little furniture, but all use low
wooden chairs or wicker stools to sit upon. The food, either bread,
which is ordinarily of very thick cakes, but when guests are entertained
of very thin broad cakes, like Indian chapatties, or meat boiled in a
large iron cauldron, is served in large deep circular wooden vessels,
hollowed from a trunk or thick branch of a tree, without any table,
though tables were seen occasionally on which drinking vessels were
set. The bread cakes were served to guests, with slices of cheese
between two such cakes, imbedded in hot butter. Their beds are very
rude fixtures, consisting of poles, one end of which rests in the walls

and the other on two legs: it is remarkable that they call them kat. The
object of the lower story seems chiefly to raise the house above the
snow in winter; it is ascended by a ladder outside, which can be drawn
up. Sometimes there is a third story, which is, of course, like the second,
of timber, but is also surrounded by a platform. The roof of flat stones,
laid on beams and covered with mud.
The temples are square chambers of timber, with doorways carved and
coloured; inside there are set several stones, apparently boulders from
the river bed, but no images