The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1889-12-05
QUEER SALUTATT0NS.
MANNERS OF GREETING OBSERVED
BY DIFFERENT PEOPLES.
Rsbstns the Fsss With wsissms Fr,sns's
reot-Com pIsments That Chinese Eu-
qustts Prsscribes--Ths wecoms Thai
DR. uvingstoas Got from AfrfcAns

qustts Prsscribes--Ths w~coms Thss
DR.. Lvinsstees Got from Afrte~na
Connected with the welcoming u
guests and the greeting Of friend.
throughout the world are some Of -.
cietys most singular customs In script.
ural days the usual form Of saluiaiion
among the Hebrews was "Shalom lex.
ha," or Peace lie with thee" The same
expression Is in vogue today among tho
Arabs, who In response to 1t say, with
thee be peace" The formal salutatious
Of the orientals are quite profuse. being
accompanied with various ceremonies.
oftentimes they will embrace and kiss
| one another, and an inferior will bestow
| q kiss on the hand or beard Of superior.
To such degree was formality carried
In the Bible lands that we are told that
the prophet who sent his servant in great
haste to lay his staff upon the dead child
forbade him to salute anybody on the
way lest he lose precious time. For
similar reason the Saviour babe the sew.
enty to salute none while on a journey.
One Of the prevailing modes Of se!uts-
ton among the Hebrews was the obei-
sance which brought tho person making
il 10 the ground. his beard literally
touching the dust.
The Philippine islanders rub their
faces gently with Me hand or the foos
Of the person whom they salute. II the
| foot il chosen the visitor is put TO much
personal discomfort. and travellers have
found it difficult to maintain their eQui.
librium during the ceremony. Il takes
a practical acrobat 20 submit TO tho code
Of salutations in use among the people
of the Straits Of the Sound We have il
from uoutinan that "thcy raised his left
foot, which they passed gently over his
right leg and thence over his face" This
is little more complex than our uni-
yersal Yankee method Of shaking hands,
and not near so desirable.
IN THE FLowERy KINGDOM.
Some Elhiopians rob their acquains-
ances Of their robes, which they coolly
tic about their own waists, thus leaving
the saluted individual half naked in his
presence. The Japanese, more polite.
only take off slipper. and the Arracans
doH their sandals when they salute in
the street. and their stockings when they
meet in the house
The Chinese possess a code Of saluta-
tons which Is zealously adhered % in
nearly every part Of the FIowery King
dom. II two persons meet after long
separation they celebrate the event by
falling on their faces to the earth seSe->
al times In succession. A Chinanla'A IS
apt to indulge in what we would term
putting il on Ask one how ne find,
himself in health. and he is IL .eiy 70 an
swer. VERY well. thanks TO sour abund.
ant felicity" Chinese etiouette pre-
scribes the use OF saluta' ions and compl.
ments with minu;s NESS that staggers
one who wishes to become perfect in
them. IL tells where the stranger is 70
be seated, how many bows he il 20 10.
ccive, and when tho welcome IA 20 los
given with the right hand, and when tho
left The lower class OF Chinese respect
these punctlios. and ambassadors must
practice them for forty days before they
can present themselves at court
II il to the wild nations, however, that
we go for tho curious in salutation.
When two New Zealanders come togeth-
err they go through an outlandish scrc-
mony called tangi They first cover
themselves with mats thr enyelop tho
whole form. except one eye. squat on the
ground facing each oth0r aud weep co.
piously. This Is carried on for some lit.
tie time. when they shorten the distance
between them. and at last press their
noses together, all the time giving utter
ance to expressive grunts. This last peg
Torrance seems to satisfy New Zealarid
etiquette, for the parties then give them
selves up to lively conversation.
Among the people Of New Gninea tho
greeting ceremony consists Of pinching.
The person who bestoSs tho welcome
pinches the tip OF the others nose with
the finger and thumb Of tho right hand.
while with the left htNi1..thes the mid
die OF his own stomach. muttering over
and over the word "lIagasuka." Tho
reader will see from this that while Pa
puan etiquette is not intricate, the pinch
ing part Is not very desirable.
ROLLING IN THE SAND.
The Batoka people, who live along tn,
banks Of the famed Zambssi. have an odd
method Of expressing their feelings in tho
way Of welcoming people to their good
graces. The women usually clap their
hands and utter a strange sound, and the
men stoop and strike their hips with their
palms But when the Batoka gentlemen
wish to show off in the way of salutation
they drop on their backs and roll over in
the sand. Shaping their thighs vigorously.
and crying out, "Kina-bombal kina-
bombar at the top OF their lungs DR..
Livingstone was diverted by the I'M
wonted spectacle OF a score or more Of
naked sable giants going through this
singular ceremony, and tried to stop
them; but the moro the explorer pro-
tested the heartier grew his reception,
and he had to wait patiently until they
announced that he had been thoroughly
welcomed TO Batoka land.
The Npehr tribe of the Nile Country
have mode Of salutation peculiarly their
own. When Petherick, the Z. aveler, came
among these people he vas accorded the
reception given to :. ersons Of high degree.
The Nuebr chic who entered the travel
er's tent grasped the white mans hand
and deliberately spat in 1t. After mo-
Eent Of silence he repeated the process.
Petherick' first impulse was to resent the
indignity by knocking the fellow down.
but, restraining his Indignation. he re-
turned the compliment with considerable
emphasis. This seemed T. delight tho
chief. and the traveller was released 10
see his attendants subjected 10 the sams
barbarous welcome.
After all. the most expressive welcome
Is given when hand meets hand and ego
responds TO eye.--T. G. Harbaugh la
Pittsourg Bulletin