The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1886-12-11
QUEER KEN Poh.
A Race of Isarbarians Who In,abit

A Race of Barbarians Who Inl,abit the
Dense JunEles at Siam.
The following is taNen from letter
written at Bangkok. Siam. by Colonel
Childs: Among the many pecul arities
of this peculiar ction is IN almost un-
known race of p 'op.c, an account of
which / feel assured W II be of interest.
A few days nee the Governor of
Sangkia, 4 province on the west coast of
Siam, who was here to br ng tribute to
the King, gave me cons derable in
formation in regard to these people.
who live on the coast, terming them
Ken Poh -jungl, people. They make
the HON s am d the denssst portion of
tie forest, lave but little communica-
ton with the Gu er world--in fact, they
are ent re'y solated. The only per sons
they hold intercourse with are slaves
anu trad Is wh) have penetrated the
jungle in search of game or barter, as
it almost impossible to pen trate to
Il Q villages on account of the d ms ty
OF the vegetation. the dang rOus b asts
and venomo serpents that infeSt them.
They shun all intercourse with strangers,
have q pccu Jar dialect of their own,
live in small lages. and are a
mu cuiar, hardy race, strictly vege-
tar ans, do not drink or smoke opium,
have but few, if any, OF the vic of
the natives, are about five feet in height,
and seem to be sunk in the most
alb ect barbarism. occupying the lowest
gra % of Humanity. What little re-
Igion they may have is a mongrel wor-
sh p of demons and the malignant
sp rits that they assert inhabit the jun
gle, which they attempt to prOp.tiate
by presents, etc. The habitat ons are
partly subteyranean. about four feet
h gh. an excavation in the ground,
around which stakes are driven, COW
cred W III dome of plated bamboo,
over which is plastered u thick coating
of mud, VIII CHI soon hardens in the sun,
rendering it impervious to the rain or
the heavy dews OF that Sc ction, VIII CHI
they occupy only when necessity re-
quires. rs they live mostly in the open
mir, AMI when the land is overtlowed up
in the trees. The + Goth ng is of tho
most primitive kind. A pl co of cloth
about ono foot wide and four feet in
length, which is held in place by piecc
OF lana or vine, as they have no cord
or rope, is mado into belt, placed
around the waist then the cloth is in
serted between the legs and carried bpth
back and front up under the belt over
which It laps, and the band being drawn
tight holds 1t in pla Q, and MS the ends
are opened spread out Ike small aprons,
and thus tho denizens of the jungle are
in full dress. somewhat akin to the
Edcnic costume of old-t,e fig leaf
One OF tho pecullarities Of this strange
people is the way they raise their rec.
which is their main staple, almost the =
sole stock of provis ons, cked out with
fru Is, roots and herbs, which they col
lect whom in season, and the Jungle is
prolific of such kinds of food. Each
village has its heal man, all live in
common, nnd ~ soon as u field OF rico
rs really to bc cut lic orders 1t and dis
IT. bules tho grain equally among his
people. I'm so on during the season, al,
staring ike. Their only implements
aro u Nrgo knife uscl for cutt ng ce,
auilding lhor huts. and making tops