G a r r o w H i l l s «
I n h a b i t a n t s .
M e n .
fays, that the juice is extremely-noxious to the eyes. Gerard
mentions ftill a more pretibus kind, which was fold for its
weight in gold,-and was ‘ufed only 'by princes;- this was the
Calùmbà, and may poffibly he the Cdhtmba root o f . our dif-
penfary, which is faid to be a valuable cordial. Mandelfloe*
fpeaks of a fpecies be names the Calamba, chiefly ufed in funerals,
for the burning the bodies of Indian priefts and princes.
B e t w e e n the northern borders of Silbet, and the river Bur-
rampooter, are the Garrow bills. The foil is very rich, productive
of excellent rice, uncommonly large muftard feed, and
very good hemp; they have coals from which the inhabitants
have the art to extrait an oil ufeful in cutaneous diforders.
T h-e inhabitants have been fuppofed to be a favage people.
John Elliott, efq-t. who, in 1788, firft viiited them for the good
purpofe o f reclaming them, firft undeceived the public. He
found the men flout, and well ihaped, with a Caffre-like nofe,
and flat fmall eyes, overhanging brows. - Their looks ferocious
andfurly; yet, on acquaintance, they were found to he o f a
gentle difpofition, honeft, and moft tenacious o f their words;
•when in liquor they are uncommonly merry, and fo fond of
■dancing, that men, women, and children continué the exer-
-cife till they can fcarcely ftand. The men wear a broad girdle
•which paffes over each fhoulder, croifes the ftomach, and paffes
•to the back, thence furrounds the lower part of the belly, and a
part hangs down for modefty’s fake about eight inches before ;
•their defenfive arms are long w'ooden ihields, the offenfive a
large crooked fword.
* Travels, p .iS i. + Afiatic Rëfearches, iii. p. 17.
T h e women aré exceifively ugly, fquat and fhort, and flat W o m e n .
faced like the men. In their drefs their -bodies are concealed,
and it covers great part o f their thighs.
T h e s e people may be deemed to be favage, chiefly in their
diet, eating dogs, frogs, fnakes, and the blood Of all animals.
The laft is baked over a flow fire, in hollow green bamboos, till
it becomes o f a green nafty color: they drink to exoefs of a
liquor prepared from rice, but they have various other ftrong
extraéis.
T h e i r houfes are from thirty to a hundred and fifty feet H o u s e s .
long, raifed three or four feet from the ground; the breadth
from ten to fifty, and are roofed and thatched. Bugs, the fame
as the Englijh, fwarm there, and are dreadful pefts.
T h e i r marriages are attended with facrifices ; the viétims a Marriages.
cock and hen. From the appearances after the a£t o f killing
them, prefages are drawn of the happinefs or unhappinefs of
the wedded pair.
T h e dead are kept four days, then burnt in a fmall boat B u r i a l s .
placed on the funeral pile, and the alhes put into a fmall hole
juft under it, and covered with a fmall thatch building. This is
the ceremony o f a common Garrow.
I f the perfon is o f rank, the pile is adorned with cloth and
flowers; a bullock is facrificed, and the head burnt with the
deceafed. I f he happens to be an upper-hill man o f common
rank, the head of one o f his flaves is cut off, and burnt with
him. I f the upper-hill perfon is o f high rank, a large body of
his flaves ruih from the hills, feize an Hindoo, cut off his head,
and burn it with their chieftain. Their religion is faid to ap-
V o l. II. g B proximate