RAJPUTS AXD THE HISTORY OF EAJPUTANA. 



73 



in these days of safety, in such places as Hongkong or Zanzibar ; 

 and also of Brahmans, who go to distant parts to act as priests 

 to the scattered members of the desert clans ; and unfortunately 

 also of highway robbers, or dakaits who used to make raids far 

 and wide in India, returning to their homes with their spoil. 



All alike however hope to die in the Eajput land, and to 

 bring up their families in it so that the strength and independ- 

 ence of the race may be kept up. 



In most parts of the country stone is available for 

 building substantial houses, but in others, where the soil is 

 clayey and wood is cheap, tiles and bricks are in general use, 

 and in the hills wattle and mud walls with grass roofs are 

 common. The Eajput was therefore always comfortably 

 housed, but the abundant quantity of marble and beautiful 

 sandstones of different colours in some districts rendered it 

 possible for the chiefs to construct most charming palaces, 

 handsome temples, and, what was much more useful to them, 

 strong forts and town walls. Few minerals except salt have 

 been worked, but even this and the ornamental building 

 stone, although they added to the wealth of the people, have 

 not been regarded as unmixed blessings, because they attracted 

 the covetous eyes of the Moghuls. 



The geographical and geological features of Eajputana are 

 most important factors in determining its meteorology. A 

 large portion of the north-west is occupied by the great Indian 

 desert, which is covered with sand hills shaped in long straight 

 ridges, and is ill- watered. The south-east of the Aravallis is 

 more elevated and fertile. It is very diversified, and contains 

 extensive hill ranges, valleys, plateaux, and wcodlands. It is 

 traversed by several large rivers, and there are numerous 

 isolated rocky eminences. Sir John Eliot, who kindly wrote 

 a description of the meteorology for my Eajputana Medical 

 Gazetteer, observes that the meteorological features of the two 

 divisions of Eajputana differ greatly, depending partly upon its 

 physical configuration and on its proximity to the Arabian 

 Sea to the west, and to the great river plains of Xorthern 

 India to the east. There are two seasons, viz., the south-west 

 or wet, and the north-east or dry. The former lasts from 

 about June to September, and gives on an average about 1347 

 inches of rain to North-west Eajputana, and 25*32 inches to 

 the south-east. Much of the rain comes from the Bombay 

 current in moderate showers, but in some years a good deal is 

 received during the passage of cyclonic storms from the west. 

 October and November are usually fine and dry, though there 



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