Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-09-20

MAKE FINE FIGHTERS,
Famous Little Ghoorkas, Who Help
the British Soldiers In India.

Famous Little Ghoorkas, Who Helm
the British Soldiers in India.
From the Philadelphia Inquirer.
The famous Ghoorkas of the British army
are hill men from Nepau. They positively
have no fear of death in any shape or
form, and will follow their English officers
anywhere, being tractable and amenable
to discipline, and having an innate love Of
fighting.
They like to be brigaded and associated
with British troops, with whom they chum
in an extraordinary manner, especially on
active service. 1t is a popular error to
suppose that they don't possess CASTE as
there are at least a dozen different castles
among them, but directly they go on serv-
ice they drop all caste prejudices and eat
and drink with English troops without re-
serve. They will accept tobacco or a cigar
from Englishman. but a man Of one
caste must not smoke in the company of
man Of another.
The Ghoorkas trace their descent from
the Central Indian Rajpoots, the Thappas
and Gurungs especially asserting that they
have the bluest Hindoo blood in India in
their veins. They have intermarried for
generations with Monaghan women, and
one would have supposed that in time a
distinctly new type would have been
evolved, combining the leading character
istics of both races. But this is not so.
most of the Ghoorkas have either the
Aryan or Chinese cast of countenance.
Europeans generally suppose that all
Ghoorkas are short, squat men, with broad
nostrilS, high cheek bones and deep-set,
narrow eyes, but this is not the case. The
1st and I'd regiments of Ghoorkas that
have covered themselves with glory in this
campaign. have large number of Thappas
and Gurungs in their ranks, who are of
slight build, with beautifully chiseled and
sharp features, thoroughly Aryan in every
way.
Ghoorkas have two noted peculiarities
which give them boyiSh look. They are
short of stature, and, in spite of great care,
never are able to cultivate much hair on
their faces.
1t is on record that when Lord Roberts
was marching through the Kurram, the
Pathan women and children stood and
jeered at the little boyish Ghoorkas, whom
they thought he was leading to certain de-
struction, but they changed their opinion
when the Afghan army was driven head
long from the Piewar Kotal with the aid
of the same little hill men.
A story is told Of an Afghan who travelled
a long way to see the terrible soldiers who
had defeated his countrymen in many
battles. When he saw the Ghoorkas stand
ing on guard at the "Bala Hissar," in
Cabul, he committed suicide in very
shame"
1t is not known generally that an asso-
citation has been formed to provide for and
educate the orphan sons of Ghoorka SOL
diers who have died in the service or been
killed in action, and the sons of Ghoorka
pensioners of>good and deserving character.
living in India, who are in destitute cir
cumstances with the view of their enter
Each of the fifteen Ghoorka battalions in
the Indian service has widow and orphan
fund, to which all ranks subscribe.
The Maharajah of Puttia1a has given land
required for an asylum, anu the Nepaulese
Princes and others have given financial
help also