144 THE HIGHLANDS OF CENTKAL INDIA. 



occasional immorality of the races, has in recent times 

 ceased as regards the masses, though the chiefs are 

 still unremitting in their endeavours to purify their 

 families by alliance with more blue-blooded Eajpiit 

 houses than their own. Blue blood being a market- 

 able commodity here as in other countries, the chiefs 

 have to pay highly for such privileges ; and nothing 

 has so much tended to pauperise these families as these 

 constant bribes for the ennoblement of their race, and 

 the equally heavy cost of conciliating the priestly 

 arbitrators of their quality. 



For it is through this chink that the influence of 

 Brahmanism has mainly succeeded in penetrating to 

 the very core of these indigenous tribes. The test of 

 purity of caste among races of uncertain descent is 

 much more the extent of their observance of the Hindii 

 code of purity and ceremonial than actual proof of 

 lineage. The Brahmans form a sort of Heralds' College, 

 to be inscribed on the rolls of which for a few genera- 

 tions entitles an aspirant to ally himself with families 

 who have already attained a higher status than himself. 

 Strict reverence for the Brahmans, and adherence to 

 ceremonial purity, are necessary to secure this ; and 

 thus it is that all these semi-Hindii chiefs spend the 

 greater part of their time and means in striving to 

 attain the utmost rigour of attention to Hindu religious 

 and social rule. To this end they have abandoned the 

 gods of their fathers for the deities of the Brahmans. 

 They have retained Brahmans as their councillors and 

 to conduct the worship of the gods. They eat nothing 

 unsanctioned by the Brahminical law ; and some even 

 employ Brahmans to cook their food, sprinkling the 

 faggots employed for the purpose with holy water. 



