t feathers, and his
back hair was plaited into many little tails.

Almost all had necklaces of beads, the better sort silver earrings (plain
rings), and some pendant silver ornaments; many had bracelets, ornamented
with brass; _kumurbunds_ of plain white cloths: the poor ones have their
heads naked, or with bits of cloth wrapped round.

They had no swords, but Hindoostany ones, and of these very few.

Even their archery, Macgregor says is bad; one or two had spears, the
Chief's spear was provided with a very long head, and ornamented with
cowrie shells at the top of the _haft_; two women came afterwards, their
necks loaded with cowries and bits of bones, but otherwise well clothed
with the usual gowns, the outer one without sleeves and very wide arm
holes. They were decorated with very coarse, large, circular earrings.
They approached the rest singing in chorus, not unmelodiously, but with
very little variation in notes. Then a whistle, general and loud from
the whole party, representing their rejoicing over a slaughtered
Mussulman.

On the whole these people present nothing peculiar as compared with other
hill people: like them they are vindictive, savage, poor, dirty,
remarkable for great cupidity, fond of red cloth, beads, etc. They are a
mixed race, some are like Indians, some like Europeans, but in all the
forehead is low, Tartar eyes, often light brown or grey, hair often
light. Put them among the Nagas, etc. of the Assam frontier, and none
would notice them.

The Chief's son wore a black, narrow band round his head, ornamented
behind with a few cowries and bone ornaments.

They are independent, appear to delight in talking of their victories
over the Mussulmans, but the oddest peculiarity as compared with
Asiatics, is their shaking hands, which was certainly done with us in the
European custom.

The limits of the firs, are as strict as those of Baloot, etc., of the
latter it may be stated as between 3,500 to 5,600 feet, of the firs
between 5,500 and 8,000; what makes me say this is, that at Katoor the
mountains are covered with heavy snow, and are naked above, but with
heavy pine forest below, and then with forests of Baloot.

_5th_.--Ascended the hills to about 200 feet above the limits of inferior
snow, which may be estimated at about 4,500 feet.

These hills from 3,500 feet and upwards, are well wooded, presenting no
peculiarity in the distribution of the woods, which are thin, or thickish
only