Page:Wanderings of a Pilgrim Vol 2.djvu/299

 offspring, thinking the lot of woman too hard to endure. The price of a wife is high, from the scarcity of women, and may account for the disgusting marriages of the Paharīs.

Mr. Vigne, in his travels in Cashmir, remarks,—"My classical companion pointed out to me the following passage of Cæsar's Commentaries, showing that a similar custom existed amongst the Ancient Britons:—'Uxores habent deni duodenique inter se communes, et maxime fratres cum fratribus, et parentes cum liberis. Sed si qui sunt ex his nati, eorum habentur liberi, a quibus primùm virgines quæque ductæ sunt.'"—Cæsar, de Bello Gallico, lib. v. cap. 14.

I am told that honesty was the distinguishing characteristic in former times of the Paharīs, but intercourse with civilized Europeans has greatly demoralized the mountaineers.