1894.] E. Vansittart— Tribes , Clans, and Castes of Nepal. 
245 
potatoes, cabbages, cucumbers, and squash (kadu). They will smoke 
any English or Indian tobacco, and are very fond of cheroots. They will 
smoke out of any English-made pipe, even if with a horn mouth-piece, 
although they are likely to make a little fuss over the latter, just to 
save their consciences. 
Arms. —The kukri, a short, curved, broad-bladed, and heavy knife, 
is the real national weapon of the Gurkhas, and it is worn by all from 
the highest to the lowest. In our regiments they are carried in a frog 
attached to the waist-belt. From the beginning of the handle to the 
end or point of the blade it averages about 20 inches in length. 
Where wood is plentiful, they are very fond of practising cutting 
with the kukri, and they will cut down with one blow a tree the size of 
an ordinary man’s arm. A really skilful cutter will cut off slice after 
slice from the end of a piece of green wood, each slice being not thicker 
than an ordinary piece of shoe leather. They call this “ chinnu,” to 
slice off. 
They are also skilful with the gulel, (pellet bow) knocking down and 
killing the smallest birds with ease. All who can manage to raise the 
funds endeavour to possess themselves of some sort of fire-arm. 
Dress. —The national dress of the Gurkhas of the poorer class, such 
as we enlist, is one that shows them off to the greatest advantage, and 
consists of the following :— 
A piece of cloth ( langoti) worn, as natives of India do, round the 
loins, etc. A thin waistcoat fitting tight and buttoned all the way up 
to the throat. A long piece of cloth, which is often a pagrl, and is 
wrapped round the waist, and by which the kukri is carried. A pair of 
brown Gurkha shoes, as described further on. 
A black round cap, high on one side and low on the other, and 
finally, a kind of thin blanket or thick sheet, called Khadi, which is worn 
as follows:—The two corners of the breadth are first taken. One is 
carried over the right shoulder and the other is brought up under the 
left arm, and the two corners tied together about the centre of the chest. 
A third corner, the one diagonally opposite Ho. 1, is now taken, and 
brought over the left shoulder and tied in a knot with the fourth corner, 
which is brought up under the right arm and opposite the centre of the 
chest. 
This dress leaves the arms quite bare from above the elbows, and 
the legs are naked from halfway down to the knees, thus showing off 
his grand limbs. 
The blanket, by being tied as described above, forms a kind of large 
bag, which extends all the way round the back, and in this Gurkhas 
very often carry their goods and chattels. 
