220 
E. Vansittart— Tribes , Clans , and Castes of A r ep&l. [No. 4 , 
to Hinduism to whom the Brahmans gave the rank and honours of the 
Kshatriya order, (2) from the offspring of Brahman intercourse with 
hill-women, to whom the rank of Kshatriya was also given. 
The Khas are the predominant race of Nepal. They are generally 
slighter, more active, and more intelligent than either the Magar or 
Gurung. They are Hindus, wear the thread, and are more liable to 
Brahmanical prejudices than the Magar or Gurung. They, however, 
make little of the ceremonial law of the Hindus in regard to food and 
sexual relations. Their active habits and vigorous characters could not 
brook the restraint of ritual law. Their few prejudices are rather 
useful than otherwise, inasmuch as they favour sobriety and cleanliness. 
They are temperate, hardy, and brave, and make good soldiers. They 
intermarry in their own castes, and have a high social standing in 
Nepal. 
In the Nepalese army almost all the officers above the rank of 
Lieutenant are Khas, and so are by far the greater proportion of offi¬ 
cers below the rank of Captain. They are intensely proud of their 
traditions, and look down upon Magars and Gurungs. In their own 
country any Khas who runs away in a battle, becomes an outcast, and his 
very wife is unable to eat with him. They are very national in their 
feelings. 
In the Nepalese “ Hide Brigade,” which consists of the picked men 
of all classes, are to be found numbers of Khas of 5 feet 9 inches and 
over, with magnificent physique. 
Colonel Bahadur Gambar Sirjgh, who at present commands the 
“ Rifles,” served as a Private under Sir Jang Bahadur at Lucknow 
during the Mutiny. He there greatly distinguished himself by single- 
handed capturing three guns and killing seven mutineers. He received 
an acknowledgment from the British Government for his bravery, and 
the Prince of Wales presented him, in 1875, with a claymore, with an in¬ 
scription thereon. In this fight Colonel Gambar Siggh had no other wea¬ 
pon than his kukri, and he received 23 wounds, some of which were 
very dangerous, and to this day his face is scarred with huge sword cuts 
He also lost some fingers, and one of his hands was nearly cut off. Sir 
Jang Bahadur had a special medal struck for him, which the gallant 
old gentleman wears on all great parades. 
None of our Gurkha regiments enlist Khas now, although in most 
regiments a few are to be still found, who were enlisted in olden days. 
Experience would seem to prove that Magars and Gurungs are un¬ 
doubtedly better men than Khas, yet a regiment of Khas would make a 
very fine body of soldiers, and in the present days, when men of good 
fighting class are so much needed, it seems a pity that Government 
