t8 the frontier DISTRICT OF ASTOR 



extreme to the traveller from Kashmir. After crossing 

 the path from the Giires direction, a wilderness of snow 

 has to be traversed for several miles, even in the month 

 of April : no vegetation of any kind is visible. Willows 

 and stunted birch trees are the first to welcome you after 

 your weary trudge through snowland, and lower down a 

 patch of pines here and there struggles for existence. 

 As you reach a lower level, the green turf gives a pleasant 

 spring to your steps ; and, after passing the first village, 

 the greenery of wide-spreading walnut is a treat to your sun- 

 scorched eyes. From the village of Chhagam fruit trees 

 are frequent, and large patches of cultivation surround 

 each village. After leaving Astor the scene changes again. 

 The steep sides of the mountains are clothed with pines, 

 and the prospect on every side is much confined ; and the 

 traveller has only one desire — to proceed as rapidly as 

 possible to the happy hunting grounds now within view. 



The people of Astor are called Dards. According to 

 Drew, they are separated into five divisions : Eonu, Shin, 

 Yashkan, Kremin, Diim. The Dum, the lowest of all, is 

 no doubt the same as the Dom or Mirasi (musician) of 

 India. Drew is of opinion that in all these cases we have 

 remnants of the early pre- Aryan race that inhabited India. 

 " This is a new and unexpected fact, the existence of this 

 race among the high mountains and in the snowy country." 

 The Kremins are the potters, millers, etc., of the country, 

 and correspond in function with the Kahars, Jhiwars, etc., 

 of India. The similarity between " Kremin " and the 

 Panjab word " Kamin," which is used to designate the 

 same class of people, is certainly curious. The Yashkan are 

 the most numerous, and are owners of the soil. They and 

 the Shin may be considered the bulk of the Dard nation, 

 who invaded the country and took it from the earlier 

 inhabitants. The Eonus are found in Gilgit only, and are 



