244 E. Vansittart —Tribes , Clans, and Castes of Nepal. [No. 4, 
No Gurkhas, except some menial classes, will eat cows, nilgai, or 
female goats. Gurungs eat buffaloes in their own country, though they 
will stoutly deny it if accused. All kinds of game are prized by Gur¬ 
khas, deer of all varieties, pigs, porcupines, pea-fowl, pigeons, pheasants, 
etc., etc., but beyond all things a Gurkha likes fish. 
Food cooked in ghee, including “ rice,” but not “ dal,” is eaten by 
all classes in common. 
Thakurs who have not adopted the thread will eat everything with 
Magar and Gurung. 
All classes will drink water from the same masak, which, however, 
should be made of goat-skin. 
Brian Hodgson gives the following true and graphic account of the 
contrast between the way the Gurkha eats his food and the preliminary 
ceremonies which have to be observed by the orthodox Hindu :— 
“ These highland soldiers, who despatch their meal in half an hour, and satisfy 
the ceremonial law by merely washing their hands and face and taking off their tur¬ 
bans before cooking, laugh at the pharisaical rigour of the Sipahis, who must bathe 
from head to foot, and make puja ere they can begin to dress their dinners, must 
eat nearly naked in the coldest weather, and cannot be in marching trim again in 
less than three hours. 
In war, the former readily carry several days’ provisions on their back : the 
latter would deem such an act intolerably degrading. The former see in foreign 
service nothing, but the prospect of glory and spoil : the latter can discover in it 
nothing, but pollution and peril from unclean men and terrible wizards, goblins, and 
evil spirits. In masses the former have all that indomitable confidence, each in all, 
which grows out of national integrity and success : the latter can have no idea of 
this sentiment, which yet maintains the union and resolution of multitudes in peril 
better than all other human bonds whatsoever, and once thoroughly acquired, is by 
no means inseparable from service under the national standard. 
In my humble opinion they are, by far, the best soldiers in Asia; and if they 
were made participators of our renown in arms, I conceive that their gallant spirit, 
emphatic contempt of madhesias (people residing in the plains), and unadulterated 
military habits, might be relied on for fidelity ; and that our good and regular pay 
and noble pension establishment would serve perfectly to counterpoise the influence 
of nationality so far as that could injuriously affect us.” 
The above was written by Mr. Brian Hodgson in 1832, and 25 years 
later, namely, in 1857, lie wrote :— 
“ It is infinitely to be regretted that the opinions of Sir Henry Fane, or Sir 
Charles Napier, and of Sir John Lawrence, as to the high expediency of recruiting 
largely from this source, were not acted upon long ago ” 
On service the Gurkhas put aside the very small caste prejudices 
they have, and will cook and eat their food, if necessary, in uniform, 
and with all accoutrements on. 
Gurkhas will eat all and every kind of vegetables and fruit. They 
have a great partiality for garlic and pepper, and are very fond of 
