202 Notes on Moor croft's Travels in Ladakh, [No. 147. 



certain mountain spirit is an emanation of Shakyamuni, and that he 

 came from Lassa, some generations ago with a Lama of great sanctity. 

 This emanation is called Durjeh Chimno, and is further supposed to be 

 the patron of agriculture. The Lamas endeavour to turn the adora- 

 tion of the people towards this hill god alone ; and in imitation of the 

 deota system, one of their number is supposed to be the chosen priest 

 of the divinity, and on proper occasions is duly rapt or possessed. 

 They do not, however, care to give any emanation of their supreme 

 being a local habitation and an authority with geographical limits, 

 and when the people proceed to a particular pass or eminence to sup- 

 plicate one lord among many equals, the Lamas take no share in 

 the ceremony. 



The greatest festival of the Kunawarees is, that called sherkan 

 by them. It is held on the 10th day of the moon in the month 

 of Asonj, (September-October,) and corresponds with the Hindoo 

 Dasehra. 



Polyandry— Marriage — They (the Ladakhees) have some singular 

 domestic institutions. When an eldest son marries, the property 

 of his father descends to him, and he is charged with the maintenance 

 of his parents. They may continue to live with him if he and his 

 wife please, if not he provides them with a separate dwelling. A 

 younger son is usually made a Lama. Should there be more brothers, 

 and they agree to the arrangement, juniors become inferior husbands 

 to the wife of the elder. All the children, however, are considered as 

 belonging to the head of the family. The young brothers have no autho- 

 rity ; they wait upon the elder as his servants, and can be turned out 

 of doors at his pleasure, without its being incumbent on him to provide 

 for them. On the death of the eldest brother, his property, authority 

 and widow, devolve upon his next brother. — Moorcroft, II. 321-2. 



In this account, there are several things which I did not observe 

 near the junction of the Sutlej and Pitti, and some of the customs are 

 not I think reconcileable to reason or to necessity. 



Polyandryism appears to be essential in a country in which the 

 quantity of culturable land is limited, and in which pastures are 

 not extensive ; in which there are but few facilities for carrying on 

 commerce, and in which there is no mineral wealth readily made 

 available. This is the case in Tibet, and in many portions of the 



