368 



Garrow Hills. 



Inhabitants. 



Men. 



GANGETIC lUNDOOSTAN. 



fay?, that the juice is extremely noxious to the eyes. Gerard 

 mentions ilill a more pretious kind, which was fold for its 

 weight in gold, and was ufed only hy princes ; this was the 

 Calumba^ and may poffibly be the Columba root of our dif- 

 penfary, which is faid to be a valuable cordial. Mandelfloe'^ 

 fl)eaks of a fpecies he names the Calamba, chiefly ufed in fune- 

 rals, for the burning the bodies of Indian priefts and princes. 



Between the northern borders of Silbet, and the river Bur- 

 rampooter, are the Garrozv bills. The foil is very rich, produc- 

 tive of excellent rice, uncommonly large muftard feed, and 

 very good hemp ; they have coals from which the inhabitants 

 have the art to extract an oil iifeful in cutaneous diforders. 



The inhabitants have been fuppofed to be a favage people. 

 John Elliott, efqt. who, in 1788, firft vifited them for the good 

 purpofe of reclaming them, firft undeceived the public. He 

 found the men ftout, and well fhaped, with a Caffre-Uke nofe, 

 and flat fmall eyes, overhanging brows. Their looks ferocious 

 and furly ; yet, on acquaintance, they were found to be of a 

 gentle difpolition, honeft, and moft tenacious of their words ; 

 when in liquor they are uncommonly merry, and fo fond of 

 dancing, that men, w^omen, and children continue the exer- 

 cife till they can fcarcely ftand. The men wear a broad girdle 

 which pafles ov<ir each fhoulder, crofles the ftomach, and pafl'es 

 to the back, thence furrounds the lower part of the belly, and a 

 part hangs down for modefty's fake about eight inches before ; 

 their defenfive arms are long wooden fhields, the ofFenfive a 

 large crooked fword. 



• Travels, p. 151. t Afiatic Rcfearches, Hi. p. 17- 



The 



