PANDUA HILLS, NEAR SILHET, IN BENGAL. 501 



The Castas are a stout athletic race ; fair, as compared with the 

 inhabitants of the plains, and with muscular limbs. They are devoted to 

 chewing paun and betel, very fond of spirituous liquor, and eat and drink 

 whatever comes in their way. In religion they follow some of the Hindu 

 customs. They have no written character, and their language is different 

 from that of the Garos and other surrounding tribes ; though they all 

 appear to be but different dialects of the same original language. 

 Theft is unknown among them, and they are true to their word. 

 In moral character, they tower, like their mountains, over the natives 

 of the plains. They always go armed either with bows and arrows, 

 or long naked iron swords. Their houses are raised on posts about four 

 feet from the ground, with a flooring of bamboos, and are well boarded, 

 and secured all round from the rain and cold. The men, women, and 

 children live above, and the pigs, fowls, and the rest of the family, 

 inhabit the lower apartment, and take care that nothing is wasted. Their 

 houses are surrounded by yards fenced with neat stone walls ; and the 

 villages are usually erected on the side of a hill, the houses rising one 

 above another. Property descends to the nephew of the occupier, by his 

 sister. They are governed by numerous petty Rajas, who exercise but 

 little control over them. On all occasions of importance, the Queen 

 Mother, and the elders of the tribe, are consulted, and nothing can be 

 done without their consent. Their pigs are a small handsome race, like 

 the Chinese ; their cattle large and sleek, and in good condition, the 

 pasturage on the hills being excellent. 



Ascending by a stone causeway : at ten reached the first stone bridge, 

 over a mountain torrent, in a beautiful secluded spot. A single stone 

 slab, of large size, at least twelve feet long, forms the bridge, having four 

 upright stones at the corners. The torrent rushing over the rocks 

 immediately under it, is received in a rude bason full of large fish. The 



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