Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1881-07-06

SAvAGES IN INDIA.-The Maris, one of
the savage hill tribes of India, are pecu-
liar people. They sleep on the ground, a
girdle of cowries round the waist consti-
luing their entire wardrobe both by night
and day. They are exceedingly averse TO
the use of cold water, ablutions are un
known, and thick coating of mud or dust
adheres To or becomes detached from their
bodies as chance decides. Still they are
slaves OF fashion. The heads of the male,
are shaved, all except one long top'knot.
and this shaving is accomplished by the
aid of IA rusty knife, that looks as if 1t once
formed part of an iron hoop. The opera
ton must be Il painful and laborious one
Nor are the female members of the COM
munity exempt from the pains and penal
ties of fashion. Their hair is most elab-
orately twisted and plastered, whilst their
bodies are covered with tattooing-abso
luteIy and literally covered-and the de-
signs are elaborate, and must be painful
in execution. Besides the girdle of COW
ries, a hoop of IRON, on which are strung
brass and iron rings, is necessary to furnish
forth Mari belle. But the elderly ladies
dispense with this AS useless and incon
ventent. An wear earrings, as many as
fifteen rings IN each ear, of wax, iron,
blass, copper, silver or gold, according to
their wealth and station.
When they dance they do not 60 through
the gestculatlons of ordinary dancing,
civilized or barbaric, but form ring by
Joining hands all round, and with long
mop spring to the center, and then hop
back again TO the full extent of their arms,
whilst at the same time they keep circling
round and round The effect is striking.
A little perfume of an agreeable kind, to
keep ill favored odors in allegiance, rem
ders it pleasant as an object of study.
Sometimes two women dance together.
holding hands, advancing and retreating,
Jumping, squatting, kneelng, and see
saving in rhy hmlcal succession. some
times man will Jump into the circle
when several are dancing, chant verse
or two OF poetry like war cry; the others
take up he chorus, and dance trantlcally
"a cdpd. Sometimes their impromptu
songs round the fire in the evening are
exceedingly uncomplimentary to each
other. The woman deplores the man
ungainlv and awkward figure ana manner,
his want of skill in war or the chase, hls
bunderrng speech and want OF success
The man retalatcs, reproducing the WON
an lor her unlidy habits, her ugly features,
her lasLeless latLooing and her spare wals
which is with them blemlsb. Bu
whether engaged in dancing, or in singing
round the tre in cold or rainy season, I
II species of arrack called lunday, distilled
from mhowah flowers. is freely imbibet
b, both sexes, ana even by the children
1t is a potent spirit, exceedingly dstaste
ful to the European palate; but the Mari'
like it, as they like their filth and ba'
smells, their girdcs Of cowrleS, their iror
hoops, their tattooing, and multitudlnou'
earrings. When the amenities of Mari hlgl
life are concluded--ther dances and songs
their rough, ear. splitting music. and thel
horse plsy-they invariably return to lun
day. The revel is concluded when non
can any longer dance, or sing, Or play, OF
as sometimes happens, when hll the lunda
has been imbibed, and nothing remain
but 10 sleep,-Harper's.