1840.] Note on the Limboos, and other Hill Tribes. 61 1 



short, white, neatly plaited petticoat, reaching to the calf, the hair raised 

 into a tiara on the crown, and surmounted by a plume of peacock 

 feathers, the neck and arms loaded with shell and brass ornaments, 

 and the entire face tattooed in blue, yellow, and red arches, and other 

 fanciful devices. The men were dressed for the occasion in trowsers, 

 chupkuns, and large turbans of white cotton. 



The physiognomy of this tribe is rather of the Mongolian cast, the 

 bridge of the nose is not perceptibly raised, the cheek bones are 

 flattened and very high, the forehead narrow ; in stature they are short, 

 averaging about five feet four inches. Their language is peculiarly 

 their own, but many of them speak the current Purbuttiah. They 

 bury their dead, and worship Rawun, the Raksha king of Lunka, and 

 him only. The dance and dirge, are lamentations for the death of 

 Rawun. They describe themselves as having come originally from 

 Lunka in great numbers, not being content to remain after the defeat 

 of their king by Ramchunder ; that they had at the time of their 

 migration upwards of 300 volumes of sacred writings, connected with 

 their peculiar creed, which were gradually destroyed and lost, until 

 now, when they are without any record of it ; that they remained for 

 sometime in the Dukhin, whence they journeyed on to Semroungurh in 

 the days of its glory ; and that, lastly, but a long time ago, they reached 

 the hills, their present abode. 



The Moormis 



are a very numerous tribe, found in all parts of the Nipal mountains, 

 from the Gunduk river twenty miles to the west of Cathmandu, to the 

 Mechi ; whence, in smaller numbers they are to be met with in the 

 Sikim country, as far east as the Teestah. The great bulk of this tribe, 

 however, is to be found between the valley of Nipal and the Dood 

 Koosi. They are altogether a pastoral and agricultural people, rearing 

 flocks of sheep and goats at great elevations near the snows, and culti- 

 vating at the greatest elevations capable of producing Indian corn and 

 Murwa, their staple grains. They settle on the mountain tops at ele- 

 vations of from 4 to 6000 feet, living in cottages built of stone and 

 thatched with grass. They are divided into several families or clans as 

 follows, — 



Mooktan, Pakreen, Shengar, Yeunjan, Thokar, Bomjan, Roomba, 

 Gyapaka, Theng, Ghesing, Doomjan, Mepchun, Guurba, Beil. 



4 i 



