1840.] Journal of a trip through Kunawur, tyc. 571 



according as they find a market for their goods. To these people, in 

 the language of the country, the title of " Kampa" is applied. 



They live altogether in tents, or encamp beneath overhanging rocks, 

 wandering, as the winter approaches, from their native country dowu 

 to the lower parts of Kunawur and Cooloo, where they dispose of the 

 produce of the upper hills, and subsist their flocks until the periodical 

 rains are about to commence, at which season they again travel to 

 their native scenes, laden with grain, iron, &c. 



The Tartar who accompanied me as a guide through Spiti by order 

 of Puttee Ram, the present vuzeer, was constantly termed " Kampa" 

 by the people of the different villages, and at first I thought it was a 

 title signifying some sort of authority, but it appeared on inquiry 

 that he had once pursued the wandering trade of a Kampa, and 

 although he was now well off, and possessed of houses and land both 

 in Hungo and Leeo, the term still clung to him. 



Another title often conferred upon him, also, was that of " Laffa," 

 which I found to have nearly the same meaning as the word " mate" 

 of the lower hills, that is, a servant possessing some little authority 

 over his fellows, as the mate, or head man of a set of Japannees, 

 the mate, or man in charge of a Dak bungalow, and in Kunawur, 

 the mate of a village, who is the " locum tenens" of the Mookiah 

 when absent. Gerard more than once mentions having exchanged 

 scarfs, or khuttubs, with the Laffa of Peenoo and other villages in 

 Tartary, which he says is the usual custom. 



During my trip through Tartary, I never even saw a single khut- 

 tub, nor did I find it necessary to offer one, although the Laffa of each 

 place paid me a visit, and presented the usual small " nuzzur" of 

 attah, raisins, or ghee. Gerard no doubt concluded it was necessary 

 to present a scarf, because he had found it the custom to do so in 

 Chinese Tartary. 



All the inquiries however that I made on the subject, tended to 

 prove that the custom only prevailed among the Chinese people, and 

 that it was quite unnecessary to make any present at all to a person 

 of such inferior rank as the Laffa or mate of a village. 



On my return from Spiti, when starting from Leeo where my guide 

 resided, he begged to be released from his post, as in a few days he 

 wished to start for Choomoonee with his last year's produce, and 



4 D 



