In all communities where the men are invertebrate the women become the
real heads of the family, doing not only most of the actual work, but also
taking the dominant position in affairs generally. This I have observed
strikingly in the case of the three "slackest" male races I know--the
Fantis of the Gold Coast, the Kashmiri, and the crofters of the West
Highlands.
Opinion is divided on the question of female loveliness in Kashmir.
Marco Polo (who probably only got his ideas of "Kesmur" from hearsay)
echoed the prevalent opinion by saying, "The women although dark are very
comely" (ch. xxvii.). Bernier is enthusiastic: "Les femmes surtout y sont
tres-belles," and hints at their popularity among the Moguls.
Moorcroft, Vigne, and others swelled the laudatory chorus until Forster,
"having been prepossessed with an opinion of their charms, suffered a
sensible disappointment," and even was so rude as to criticise the ladies'
legs, which he considered thick!
Lawrence saw "thousands of women in the villages, and could not remember,
save one or two exceptions, ever seeing a really beautiful face;" but the
heaviest blow was dealt them by Jacquemont, who, as a gay Frenchman,
should have been an excellent judge: "Je n'avais jamais vu auparavant
d'aussi affreuses sorcieres!"
APPENDIX III
I had hoped to have given, through the kindness of Colonel Ward, a full
list of the birds of Kashmir. Up to the time of going to press, however,
the complete list has not been made out.
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