The West Virginia journal. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1864-1877, 1865-11-01
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[" IfEe II A;!1r Il; g u2it..nu.
Singular Race Of Human : Beings.

IG ~, Ia - -" .iio ~ ca .fn'''7.''''
! Upon arrange of'mountsios in'south.
I iearAGrndia; ;En0xu as 'thr!Nei,8herricI,. or,
:(ia thev English !ern.culsr tho: " Blue
| .Mouutains.,"': dwell . remnaa.ofs . sipgu'
lar race, apparently distinct fromall other
nations, ,residins"in theasnpirp: Of Hin:
doss.u:r t. The. folioviog.is i brief extract
from 4ecently>published work desctib.
ihg'the.e singular people '''',- .. '''' -;
i'.Thaeiy1 are 81 called the .Todss q desiSps.
tion derived from . Tamil word sigpify; ;
4iux:"Get dsmeh -" once . numerous peo
tpts,; ,;obut: now consisting OF hardly six
hundred souls, including women and
children; d. relic,H'as it were;of an an
tique and origiDaLnation, whose destiny
it appears to be to fade away and to be-
conc extinct when brought into contact
with the advancing tide Of human civil
cation. Numerous. and conflicting are
the opinions as to, theirJ origin, and but
little has been done towards solving the
mystery. This much seems certain, that
they arc the descendants Of some foreign
race; whose fatelit was to be left strand.
red in this part of India aud tits prob.
able that they wore compelled, for the
sake Of preservation, to retire to- the
Businesses Of the Neilgherry Mountains.
Their appearance, their languages, and
their customs, oil indubitably. point
them out us utterly. distinct from other
Indian tribes. and their traditions, faint
and vague as they are, unhesitatlngly
affirm their foreign descent Who arc
they? Are they as has bcen supposed,
the descendants Of the ancient Scythians,
a portion Of; which people it liz we'll
known oyerran tho southwestern por.
tions of India 10 very carly times ? In
support Of thi, the peculiar form Of their
habitatious is adduced, which is sup.
posed, and with some show of reason, TO
be .copisll from tho Tits Of, tho wagons
liu use among that warlikc nomad peo;
pie. "
!, In appearance the Toda is ! fDe spec.
linen ofthe human race :, tall and athletic
Of light bronze color, and with features
of a very regular Roman cast. His eyes
are remarkably large and 6ue j. but the
IN ost noticeable feature is the hair, which
is never cut from birth. to death, aud i.
always exposed without covering to thu
elem cuts in q climate unusually humid
in consequence of.which. It. .attaios to
degree of luxuriance not to be seen else
where. The women are large and coarse
aud POSSESS no professions to good looks
A single cotton blanket, striped rcd and
white, constitutes the sole garments o.
both sexes. .s. ..,,..- ........
The demcanor of tho Todas forms n
striking coutrast>to that Of other inhab'
itants of. India, being totally devoid Of al
cringing or menial:like timiGity., 1t is
on the contrary, free and independent
and they enter into conversation with
stranger with confidence and sclfpos.
session. Although very unwilling to be
brought into. intercourse with Europe.
ans. when once induced to become
guides after game, they make most ad'
nirable1 ones, and are capable Of bearing
the grcatest ,fatiguo:o Like the North
American Indians, their power Of track.
Iing wild: animals ia e1tiaordinary, AID
appears to border on The instinct Of the
animals themselves. They are brave
bit unwarlike, and possess no weapon.
of defence; yet they are very proud o.
their. antiquity of descent, and they
style themselves, par czcclieses, " men,
in contradistiuction to their neighbors
for whom they use'ja term implying in
feriority. They are divided into two
divisions the Taralis, or Mystics and
the Tardas, or Uninittated.. Upon tho
former it's incumbent: to keep secret
the.tcnets Of their rude religious belief
and it is believed that no European ha.
ever received any real information on
this subject. They, appear to. bo simple
idolaters; and they have.a rude temple
dedicated TO-: Truth" inAhich libutions
of milk are, poured out; j. but: the build.
ing contains nothing save . few bells in
niche. They worship: the sun at his
rising, and believe that aftcri death the
soul goes, to ",0mnoir,".': the )" great
county, Onoporton Of each dwelling
is sacred, and they, do mot: williogly
admit. white men sHithiu its precinct Al
their religious festivals, ;;buffalosss are
sacrificed, and, strange rites in eonnee'
ltion With them; taks place. :; Tho herd is
driven into, an sueloeed lplaes, and st a
giyon signal ;, the animals having been
previously :i4fuFissed with shouts and
blows, 1.-TWO young ,mea each throw them
selves upon a buffalo, and .seiziug. the
cartilage, of thsi nose With one hand,
shower heavy blows with : club with
the. other! This continues until the
buffalo becomes exhausted Iand it ,is then
let go. The whole, having undergone
this. process, I. dance and feast wind uP
the proceedings. During these festivals
it oftea happens, that the man l. over,
povered BY sthe :bufalo,i and receives
severe injuries butit y point Of hon:
OF, among them. not to xsnder. bin. a.y
assistance, 4One, Of .thelYorst traits -