44 
SCENES IN INDIA. 
remains quite uncontrolled by, and ignorant of the re- 
straint of religion and virtue. They have lost what- 
ever native virtue may have existed in the savage 
state, and have not acquired that which would pro- 
bably result from a happy, free and liberal intercourse 
with civilized beings/' 
The sillenies, or porters, a numerous class among 
the poorer population of these mountains, are so lazy 
as to require to be frequently urged forward by the 
rod, for they are deaf to persuasion. So great is their 
apathy, that they will often lay down their burdens 
in the most rugged passes and extend themselves upon 
the edge of a precipice where the slightest change 
of position would be inevitable destruction ; and 
they submit to the severest castigation before their 
apathy is overcome or their latent passions can be 
roused. There are, it must be confessed, numerous 
exceptions, and these dark traits are perhaps to be 
accounted for by the tyranny to which they have so 
long been subservient, their excessive poverty and the 
barbarous ignorance in which they are suffered to 
live. 
The Himalaya women are generally well favoured. 
They are neither so short of stature, nor so mean of 
aspect as the men. Their figures are finely propor- 
tioned, while their features possess that delicacy of 
proportion and softness of texture so peculiar to Hin- 
doo females in their youth. They are much fairer than 
the women of the plains, being seldom darker than 
a native of Italy or Spain. They, however, soon 
lose their beauty, growing almost hideous in age. 
This loss — always a natural source of regret to the 
