NO MAN'S LAND 167 



have great satisfaction in the number of our guns and 

 rifles, and the superiority of their shooting over the old 

 matchlocks of the natives ; and our shikaris felt extra 

 brave when carrying our second rifles, and all behaved 

 splendidly. The present of some gunpowder and lead 

 made them supremely happy, and it was ati revoir at 

 parting rather than good-bye. 



Among the Bhotias the custom of polyandry, which 

 some book-writers have described, does not obtrude itself 

 at all on the observation of travellers. In fact, the families 

 of the Bhotias seem to have a fair proportion of women 

 to men, and have husbands and marriage customs like 

 any other people, and the little girls playing about the 

 houses seem to be just as numerous as the boys. They 

 are not at all shy, and are very bright and intelligent, 

 and apparently nearly as well taught in the Government 

 schools as European children. The women are very hard- 

 working in household duties and in making their often 

 highly ornamented costumes. Both men and women are 

 always busy spinning woollen yam, and the cloth they 

 weave is excellent and durable. The account given by 

 Mr. Savage Landor of these people, whom he names 

 ' Shokas,' does not at all agree with my observations. 



