JOURNAL 
OF 
THE ASITIATIC SOCIETY. 
No. 17.—May, 1833. 
1.—Origin and Classification of the Military Tribes of Népal. By B. Hi. 
Hodgson, Esq. 
{Read at the Meeting of the 9th January, 1833.] 
Tue great aboriginal stock of the inhabitants of these mountains, 
east of the river Kdli, or in Népal, is Mongol. The fact is inscribed, 
in characters so plain, upon their faces, forms, and languages, that we 
may well dispense with the superfluous and vain attempt to trace it 
historically in the meagre chronicles of barbarians. 
But from the 12th century downwards, the tide of Mussulman con- 
quest and bigotry continued to sweep multitudes of the Brahmans of 
the plains from Hindistan into the proximate hills, which now com- 
pose the western territories of the kingdom of Népdl. There the 
Brahmans soon located themselves. They found the natives illiterate, 
and without faith, but fierce and proud. 
Their object was to make them converts to Hindtiism, and so to 
confirm the fleeting influence derived from their learning and politeness. 
They saw that the barbarians had vacant minds, ready to receive their 
doctrines, but spirits not apt to stoop to degradation ; and they acted 
accordingly. Tothe earliest and most distinguished of their converts they 
communicated, in defiance of the creed they taught, the lofty rank and 
honors of the Ashatriya order. But the Brahmans had sensual passions 
to gratify, as well as ambition. They found the native females—even 
the most distinguished—nothing loath; but still of a temper, like that 
of the males, prompt to repel indignities. These females would, in- 
deed, welcome the polished Brahmans to their embraces: but their 
offspring must not be stigmatised as the infamous progeny of a 
Brahman and a Mléchha—must, on the contrary, be raised to eminence 
FF 
