78 BR. AITCniSON ox THE FLORA OF LAHUL. 



in a fresh state, Tias a strong odour of musk, indeed so mucli so 

 that bj this peculiar odour the locality of the growing plant may 

 be detected. No. 200, Pedicularis (unnamed sp.) is also very 

 frequently similarly scented. 



Incense^ " Boi'' — No. 210, Morina hreviflora, Edgw. This plant 

 the natives use as incense ; by throwing it on the fire it gives 

 forth while burning a very agreeable perfume. 



The fruit of No. 283, Juniperus excelsa^ Bieb., is used very 



extensively for incense by the '' Buddhists." A. pious Buddhist 



will every morning be seen regularly burning his incense on his 



housetop as a most sacred ceremony ; and the incense used 



consists nearly always of this fruit. 



JDyes^ " Tsoi'' — The roots of several plants are used for the 

 purposes of dyeing, but not by the natives of Lahul themselves. 

 A peripatetic dyer from Kullu, passing through the villages, dyes 

 whatever his customers may wish him. They themselves do 

 not pretend to be possessed of the necessary knowledge required 

 for this purpose. Plants No. 18, S^uhia cordijblia, L., and No. 109, 

 Polygonum tortuosum^ Don, both yield a yellow dye. 



The clothing of the natives consists nearly entirely of wool, or 

 of prepared sheep-skins (" Luk-lok nyekan "). The men are 

 dressed in grey, and the women in black. No cotton clothing, 

 except by the Hindoos in the Lower valley, is ever used. They 

 are fond of small gay bits of rag to tack on in patches to the out- 

 side of their sheepskins, and usually manage to have a patch of red 

 between the shoulders. 



Wasliing. — The natives very rarely indeed ever think of washmg 

 either their own persons or their clothes ; but notwithstanding 

 this fact of uncleanliness, they do occasionally use certain plants 

 as a substitute for soap, mixed with a natural impure soda- 

 called "Bui," obtained from the lake of "Eupshu," in Ladak. 

 Thus, of No. 91, Polygonatum multijlorum^ Allioni, the root 

 is powdered and mixed with the water used ; of No. 13^?? 

 Silene viscosa, Pers., the root and leaves are used, as also m 

 a similar way the root and leaves of No. 309, LycTinis Indit% 

 Benth. 



Tanmng.—Jjeather, " Kowa,'* " Koa," is little used in Lahul; 

 and tliat which is made in it should more correctly be called ^' p^^' 

 pared skin." The method they employ for preserving skins is the 

 follo^ving. To prepare a large skin they first of all spread it out 

 on the flat roof of their house in the sun ; they then sit down on 

 it and work the whole skin under their bare heels until it oe- 



ir 



