1 I
2 OTMAUNKHAIL. 353
3 ' Hie hills of the Otmaimldiail leparate Swaut from Bajoiir. Th^
4 are divided from the lower rai^^ of Hindoo Coo«ht to whidi thejr
5 evidently iMki^ fay the valley of Punjcora. They ten . of oonsider-
6 able but unequal he^g^itli* The snow lies for five or ox months on
7 the hi^est. Their northern face, though steep, has a gradual ascent,
8 but the southern face is abrupt and precipitous ; cattle often faU
9 from the cliffs, and are dashed to pieces. Thf* northern side is par-
10 tially cleared, and cultivated. Almost tht^ wliole of the cultivation is
11 carried on on terraces rising above each other on the slopes of the
12 mountains.
13 Besides these hills, the Otmaiinkliail have a slip of level country
14 on the skirts of Bajour, and two long but narrow valleys which open
15 into Lowi r Swaut.
16 . The Otniaiinkhails come abroad so little, that I never saw one at
17 Peshawcr, and have met but one siuce I was there. Thev are on
18 bad terms with their neighbours, who have given them the character
19 of a barbarous and lawless horde ; they describe them as tali, stout,
20 and Mr, but my that they often go naked from the waist upwnrds,
21 that iilie women laboiir like Uie men, and'lliat creiy thing among
22 Aem ihewa the abmnee of ciyilifitmn .
23 Bnt the OtoiamiHiall wiiom I htpre aean, wm hhnaelf a mild and
24 intelligent mntf and gave.the felkming account of hk tnbew
25 i- They hare a. Kfaann, who poamwoo great power* and puniahea
26 hlaodihed bj heavy fmea, and bj awanling eompenrntaon to the ie'
27 latwmt of the flcitwtfg'l-
28 Thejf have fiecpient ^^pMncla amony tlMHi*wVfft'> bot not so many
29 w 'l3bmEntelkymi and ihay are at war with the T^rcolauneai.
30 * I huTC never sH-tii these terraceii m the Otmaunkhail country, but li they rt»eiuble
31 those I have seen in die country under Sreenuggnr, no mode of cultivnlka can be inw-
32 ginpd that requires greater industry, and makes le?? rr-tvrn'^. In that country, walls are
33 made along the aide* of the hills, and filled with soil from the lower piut of the hill ; the
34 wfJUt are from three to ten feet high, and tlie terraoee ^boat fire yarda broad. Hkewalli
35 it9 aoon concealed by grass and other vegetation, and as tfa^ arc never tUta^b^f hvt
36 <[BBgltttli»bMdiittttoilirfweof thcliaU, thee<fcst .
37 a a
38 Digitized by Google