396 Journal of a trip through the [April, 



dress of the women on the western side of the Seukundir range consists 

 on the contrary of a tightly fitting body and sleeves with a full petticoat 

 having a broad border at the bottom. Their favorite color is a light 

 yellowish chocolate, whilst the border is generally of a deep blue or of 

 some other dark color. A veil is thrown over the head and shoulders, 

 as in the plains. If they meet an European they stop and turn their 

 backs to him until he has passed, a custom which always reminded me 

 of the ostrich. The men dress pretty much in the same manner as 

 those on the plains. Like all Asiatics, the women of Kulu and the 

 adjoining states are inordinately fond of ornaments, which are of the 

 usual description, with the exception of mother o' pearl amulets, which 

 none are without, not even the males. The amulets consist of small thin 

 plates of mother o' pearl of various sizes and engraved with mystical 

 figures. Several of these are slung around the neck and hang conspi- 

 ously on the chest. I believe polyandry is unknown amongst them, nor 

 are they guilty of infanticide, but polygamy is general. Travelling is 

 generally performed in jaunpauns by those who can afford it. The 

 jaunpaun is like a large tea tray with a pair of bamboo shafts behind as 

 well as in front. I cannot say I admire this kind of vehicle, for one is 

 either toppling over in front or slipping out behind, or falling headlong 

 over the side into the Khud, to say nothing of the difficulty of packing 

 one's legs, &c. &c. The ladies have theirs covered over with a scarlet 

 cloth. All agricultural labors, with the exception of ploughing, are per- 

 formed by the females, while the men too commonly sit idling at home, 

 but such indeed is the state of the weaker sex in all uncivilized communi- 

 ties ; the corn is cut with the sickle, and burdens are usually carried in 

 kiltas or large conical baskets over the shoulders on to the back, the 

 general mode of carrying loads in the Himalaya mountains. The moun- 

 taineers of those parts have long been much in the habit of ill-treating 

 their wives, and since the introduction of our laws the desertion of their 

 husbands by the women has been pretty general. The men of Kulu 

 laid their grievances before the proper authority, by whom they were 

 told that since, before the British rule, they valued their cattle more 

 than their wives, they must now reverse the custom, and take greater 

 care of their wives, a system of valuation they evidently could not ap- 

 preciate, as wives were more plentiful than cattle. 



46, About Subathoo one sometimes sees infants wrapped up like little 



