“SHIN the highest caste; the Shiná people of pure origin, whether they be Astóris, Gilgitis, Chilâsis, etc., etc.[75]
“They say that it is the same race as the ‘Moghals’ of India. Probably this name only suggested itself to them when coming in contact with Mussulmans from Kashmir or the Panjab. The following castes are named in their order of rank (for exact details, see “Hunza Handbook”):
| “Yáshkunn [the great land-owning race found in possession by the invading Shîns.] | = a caste formed by the intermixture (?) between the Shîn and a lower [aboriginal?] race. A Shîn may marry a Yáshkunn woman [called ‘Yáshkûni;’] but no Yáshkunn can marry a Shînóy = Shîn woman. |
| “Tatshön | = caste of carpenters. |
| “Tshâjjá | = weavers. The Gilgitis call this caste: ‘Byêtshoi.’ |
| “Akár | = ironmonger. |
| “Kûlál | = potter. |
| “Dôm[76] | = musician } |
| “Kramìn | = tanner? } (the lowest castes). |
“N.B. The Brokhpâ are a mixed race of Dardu-Tibetans, as indeed are the Astoris [the latter of whom, however, consider themselves very pure Shîns]; the Guráïzis are probably Dardu-Kashmiris; but I presume that the above division of caste is known, if not upheld, by every section of the Shîná people. The castes most prevalent in Guraiz are evidently Kashmiri as:
“Bhat. Lôn. Dâr. Wây. Râter. Thôkr. Bagâ.”
LEGENDS RELATING TO ANIMALS.[77]
1.—A BEAR PLAYS WITH A CORPSE.
It is said that bears, as the winter is coming on, are in the habit of filling their dens with grass and that they eat a plant, called “ajalí,” which has a narcotic effect upon them and keeps them in a state of torpor during the winter. After three months, when the spring arrives, they awake and go about for food. One of these bears once scented a corpse which he disinterred. It happened to be that of a woman who had died a few days before. The bear, who was in good spirits, brought her to his den, where he set her upright against a stone and fashioning a spindle with his teeth and paws gave it to her into one hand and placed some wool into the other. He then went on growling “mû-mû-mû” to encourage the woman to spin. He also brought her some nuts and other provisions to eat. Of course, his efforts were useless, and when she after a few days gave signs of decomposition he ate her up in despair. This is a story based on the playful habits of the bear.