akes whatever
path she pleases, and the first man who chooses to ease her of her
load becomes her future lord. '_Jehur nikala_,' 'Took the jar and went
forth,' is a common saying among the mountaineers of Merwara. [269]

The dead are cremated, the corpse of a man being wrapped in a white
and that of a woman in a coloured cloth. They have no _shraddh_
ceremony, but mourn for the dead only on the last day of Kartik
(October), when they offer water and burn incense. Deswalis employ
the Parsai or village Brahman to officiate at their ceremonies, but
owing to their mixed origin they rank below the cultivating castes,
and Brahmans will not take water from them. In Jaipur, however,
Major Powlett says, their position is higher. They are, as already
seen, the trusted guards of the palace and treasury, and Rajputs will
accept food and water from their hands. This concession is no doubt
due to the familiarity induced by living together for a long period,
and parallel instances of it can be given, as that of the Panwars
and Gonds in the Central Provinces. The Deswalis eat flesh and drink
liquor, but abstain from fowls and pork. When they are invited to a
feast they do not take their own brass vessels with them, but drink
out of earthen pots supplied by the host, having the liquor poured
on to their hands held to the mouth to avoid actual contact with the
vessel. This is a Marwari custom and the Jats also have it. Before the
commencement of the feast the guests wait until food has been given to
as many beggars as like to attend. In Saugor the food served consists
only of rice and pulse without vegetables or other dishes. It is said
that a Mina will not eat salt in the house of another man, because
he considers that to do so would establish the bond of _Nimak-khai_
or salt-eating between them, and he would be debarred for ever from
robbing that man or breaking into his house. The guests need not
sit down together as among other Hindus, but may take their food in
batches; so that the necessity of awaiting the arrival of every guest
before commencing the feast is avoided. The Deswalis will not kill
a black-buck nor eat the flesh of one, but they assign no reason
for this and do not now worship the animal. The rule is probably,
however, a totemistic survival. The men may be known by their manly
gait and harsh tone of voice, as well as by a peculiar method of tying
the turban; the women have a special ornament called _rakhdi_ on the
for