544 Journal in the Sub-Himalaya. 



this district in kind, and has here a granary, where it is deposited ; 

 the grain, but especially the rice, which is very fine, being afterwards 

 taken away for his own consumption. We bought some potatoes 

 grown by a Zumindar of a neighbouring village, who had procured 

 some from Sabathoo. They are scarcely ever grown in these hills, 

 though the soil would produce them. 



22nd. Nyrah — 5 J coss. Ascended for about five coss (the longest 

 and steepest ascent we have yet had), before breakfast, passing 

 through a wood of stunted oaks (Ban) ; the leaves, small, and sharply 

 indented. We also saw several holly bushes, and there was a great 

 quantity of a large red flower. The fir is becoming common. Had 

 a fine view of the Choor, and also saw the plains distinctly. Therm, 

 at sunrise 54° : at noon 76°. The latter part of the road even : des- 

 cended to the village of Nyrah, a larger place than any we have yet 

 seen. The houses are about 50 in number, large and well built of 

 stone, with occasionally a row of a very hard wood (Kellyon, larch), 

 running along the whole length ; nearly the whole are two-storied. In 

 the lower story are kept the cattle, in the upper the people reside. 

 They have sloping roofs covered with large planks of the cedar fir 

 (Ruho), procured from the Choor and over these coarse slates. 

 They told us that the snow falls here during four months, and that 

 sometimes it was four and a half feet high, and remains on the 

 ground ten or fifteen days. They have none of their sheep here at 

 present, having sent them all at the commencement of the winter to 

 Syoon, on the Girree. Their milch cows they keep always shut 

 up in the lower stories of their houses, never letting them go out on 

 any account ; feeding them on grass in summer, and leaves of oak in 

 winter. Our flock, but especially the goats, were affected with a 

 violent vomiting, occasioned by their eating a shrub which grows 

 about here, which was pointed out to us by the Zumindars, who call 

 it " Oowar." They gave them water, which cured some of them. 

 Here, and all on this side of the Girree, the custom of polyandria 

 prevails, and also infanticide. The female children, when numerous, 

 being put to death by giving them opium, as soon as born. They 

 give poverty as the reason for these practises. The women pretty ; 

 a family of several brothers have one wife in common, and the 

 children call them all father. The Syana or headman and the Zumin- 



