THE DOON 255 



way inferior, either in behaviour or in character, to the 

 populations around them. 



The existence of this and of other dissimilar marriage 

 customs in the same country, and among practically the 

 same people, afforded a curious spectacle, and one that 

 suggested many reflections. We had, though this was 

 afterwards, a nurse for our little girl ; she was a woman 

 from these mountains. She was quiet and modest in 

 manner, by her fellow- servants well thought of; yet she 

 had five husbands, and all were brothers. The head 

 of my guard was a Mahomedan, a man of excellent 

 character, much esteemed, but he had four wives. 

 Then among the office establishment there was a native 

 Christian, to whom but one wife was permissible. 



Here then in this small territory, among people of 

 the same race, and living under the same general laws, 

 there were on this subject of marriage three different 

 codes of morality prevailing, and codes not only of 

 morality, but of law. That which in the case of one 

 person was innocent, consistent both with self-respect 

 and public esteem, was in the case of another person 

 sinful, reprehensible, even by law criminally punishable. 

 Having described the custom, I will say a few words 

 regarding the small mountain tract in which the custom 

 prevails. The scenery of this tract is no way remark- 

 able. Like nearly all the rest of the Lower Himalaya, 

 it consists of long, winding ridges, rising into peaks or 

 eminences, and separated by deep, narrow valleys. Two 

 of these eminences, however, are worthy of notice. One 

 is the mountain of Daobun, or "Wood of the Gods"; 

 the other, of lower elevation, is that of Barat. 



