1889-90-] <^ District in the Himalayas. 287 



three shops where alcoholic liquors are sold — one at the 

 capital, another at Kotdwara, and a third at Gaurighaut. 



One great institution of the past is now rarely seen — rope- 

 dancing in honour of the god Mahadao. This used to be 

 practised once a-year in every large village, and with great 

 4dat at the capital. One part of the performance consisted in 

 stretching a very long rope from a mountain-peak to a strong 

 stake driven into the ground in the valley beneath. After 

 sacrificing a kid on the hill-top to the god, the performer was 

 tied firmly to a sort of wooden saddle, and bags of sand were 

 attached to his feet to secure his keeping his balance. The 

 saddle was then put on the great rope, and it slid along it, 

 carrying the man with it a distance of 1000 to 3000 feet. 

 The saddle was well greased, but the pace was so tremendous, 

 and the friction along the ropes so great, that it was apt to 

 catch fire. This ceremony was supposed to please the god, 

 and ensure favourable harvests. If the performer arrived 

 safely at the bottom, he was remunerated by getting a rupee 

 for every 150 feet he had passed over in his perilous journey. 

 He was also entitled to a specified amount of grain from every 

 landholder in the township, on whose behoof he had thus 

 propitiated the god. 



In all parts of India there is a superstitious belief in the 

 evil eye — a belief common to ancient Greece and Eome, and 

 to modern Italy, where it was believed, for instance, that if 

 the late Pope Pius IX. looked at a child, he brought it bad 

 luck. In addition to this belief, common to Gurhwal with 

 the rest of India, there is a peculiar superstition, imported 

 perhaps from China, which attributes to some inanimate 

 object the same power for evil. This is called hcclli. For 

 instance, if a new house is built in a village and any sickness 

 subsequently breaks out in the village, this is attributed to 

 the new house, which has affected the old houses with the 

 mysterious curse of hcdh. Of course, the more common forms 

 of superstition are rife in Gurhwal : ghosts abound, and often 

 take the shape of animals. The chief varieties are : Mascln, 

 the ghosts of infants, which are peculiarly fond of taking the 

 shape of bears ; Tola, the ghosts of old bachelors, appearing 

 as will-o'-the-wisps in marshes, and much dreaded ; Achcri, 

 the ghosts of girls who die unmarried — (these are chiefly to 



