SURVEY OF THE GANGES. 52? 



faces and ring's, to the amount of five or six hundred rupees. The houses 

 by no means correspond with this outward shew of luxury, being, in 

 point of neatness or convenience, in ho respect superior to the genera- 

 lity of the villages^ They'are all built after the same model, raised two 

 Stories, constrticted 'with stone, and covered in- with sn^all deal planky 

 instead of slate. These 'may be ' considered only their stomer resi- 

 ierices, for, in the Mn'te^^'s^asohj.'tlie-' town -'is entirety ^ under 



3now; 'and the inhabitants* '^f^'tiQiilpfelledt^^^rt^ ithis neighbourhood, to 

 t^ke up their abode in'a les§/t^g6i'duii''eliiliate.' The villages o 'Josi-mat%. 

 Panc'hesery and their vicinity ■• afford theni an asylum', for the four inck- 

 jnent months of the year; Aftei^ tlVe first fall of snow, they retire, witb 

 theii* wives and families, carrying all their' property with them; excepting 

 fhegrain, which they bury in' small pits, securing the top with stones. 



V TiiE. inhabitants of-Mfi#^^ prpfess the. Hz>?^w religion, and call them- 

 selves Rajputs. This is^ a' very^ai^ibiguous. definition of cast, in this part 

 of the country ; for our hill coolies and bearers lay claim to the same ap- 

 pellation-, although they scruple not to perform the most menial offices ; 

 and in the article of food are less nice than- the lowest class of sweepers. 

 Like most inhabitants of cold climates,' the Md?iah people are much ad- 

 dicted to drinking ; and even consider it necessary for their health. The 

 liquor to which they are particularly attached, is a spirit extracted from rice, 

 prepared in the usual mode of distillation. We presented to one of them 

 a bottle of brandy, which excited not a little the envy of his companions, 

 who pressed about him to be indulged with a taste of it. He distributed 

 his favors in a few scanty drops, that were barely sufficient to impart the 

 Havor ; but the significant nods that .passed, testified their strong appro- 

 bation of this beverage. 



