94 THE FORESTS OF UPPER INDIA 



cotton umbrella of Gampish design, and spun woollen 

 yam diligently on to a large bobbin, which was kept per- 

 petually twisting as it hung by its newly spun thread. 



Coming to our tents, they put their comical faces 

 inside to look at our tent gear, at which they laughed and 

 jabbered a new and strange lingo, which we were told 

 was the Hunia language — the language of the Huns, the 

 same, perhaps, as that spoken by the Huns who conquered 

 China and the Asiatic world 400 years B.C., and as 200,000 

 horsemen overran Europe to the gates of Rome in the 

 fifth century a.d., being at last defeated at the gates of 

 Chalons. The Hungarians claim to be descended from 

 the Huns. Their language and features are, however, 

 opposite as the poles to those of the Huns ; and, in fact, 

 the Huns who conquered the Goths passed on westward, 

 and were defeated and lost among European races. The 

 branch of the Huns which was driven south by other 

 Tartar races, no doubt, was stopped by the Himalayas, 

 and preferring these wilds and a nomadic life, has re- 

 mained in this inhospitable country ever since. In any 

 case, it is marked correctly in most modem atlases as 

 Hundes — the country of the Huns — and the people are 

 called Hunias. These men were particularly quaint and 

 amusing ; they talked a few words of Hindustani, and 

 spent quite a time inspecting our camp and asking ques- 

 tions. They told us that the snow on the passes was very 

 deep, and that no one could get across ; yet apparently 

 they had themselves got over quite safely. It was re- 

 ported, no doubt, that we were intending to cross over, 

 which, as we afterwards learnt, they were aU anxious to 

 prevent. 



Having summoned the pudhan of Garbyang, Boodoo 

 by name, a most intelligent man, and his brother Jussoo, 

 who spoke the Hunia language well, they agreed to supply 



