BANAL FRONTIER.
The districts of the two Banal regiments are situated on the decline of the mountains into the plain. They present a great diversity of ground and scenery. Considerable forests, beautiful valleys, and extensive pastures succeed each other; and notwithstanding the change of country, the character of the inhabitants remains the same.
The indigence and want of activity prevailing among the people of these districts has been ascribed, and not unjustly, to the excessive magnitude of the houses. The village of Boroevich was formerly at least inhabited almost exclusively by the family after which it was named, and there were houses which contained from fifty to one hundred inmates. Such houses furnished many men for the service, but at the same time they were nurseries of discontent and crimes.
Before the division of families was authorized by law, the father of each with his immediate offspring remained in the original habitation. On the marriage of any of his descendants, the new couple built themselves a tenement contiguous and a chamber without a window. Here they slept and deposited what belonged to them exclusively. The father still retained and managed the general property. In his house were the common fire and table for the whole family, no individual being allowed to cook for himself. This separation, however, promoted neither peace nor prosperity: the law therefore interfered and fixed the principles for the partition of too large family-communities. Time will soon show how much the industry and morality of these people have been improved by this measure, without any prejudice to the service.