^8 WESTERN H I N D O O S T A N. 



by the height of the mountains, fo that only light fhowers 

 fall there ; thefe, however, are in abundance fufficient 

 to feed the thoufands of cafcades Avhich are precipitated 

 into the valley from every part of the ftupendous and ro- 

 mantic bulwark that encircles it. Amidft the various feli- 

 cities of the CaJJnnerianSy one dreadful evil they are conflantly 

 fubjedl to, namely, earthquakes; but to guard againft their 

 terrible €ffe<5ts, all their houfes are built of wood, of which 

 tiiere is no want. 



The CaJJjmerians are efleemed a moft witty race, and much 

 more intelligent and ingenious than the Hindoos, and as much 

 addidted to the fciences and to poetry as the very Perjians. 

 They have a language of their own : but their books are writ- 

 ten in the Shanfcrit tongue, although the charafter be fome- 

 times Ca/JjmerJan^. They are alfo very induftrious, and ex- 

 cellent mechanics. The various articles of their workmanlliip 

 are fent into all parts of India t. This race is famous for the 

 finenefs of their features, and their admirable complexions. 

 They look like Europeans^ and have nothing of the 'Tartarian 

 flat-nofed face, and fmall eyes, like thofe of Cafcbgiier and their 

 neighbors of Thibet. It is certainly quite right, that this 

 PaPvAdise, the region of eternal Spring, fliould be 

 peopled with females angelic: they are uncommonly beautiful. 

 The courtiers of the time of Bernier were moft folicitous to 

 obtain for their Zenanas the CaJImierian fair, in order that they 

 might have children whiter than the natives of Hindoojlan, in 

 order that they might pafs for the true Mj^^^Z-breed, congene- 

 rous with their monarch. 



* Ayeen Akberry, ii, 155. t Bernier, p. 93. 



The 



