The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1890-05-02
ENGLAND'S LITTLE WAR.
A Campaign Against Race Where Sexei
Are Changeable.

a Campaign Against a Race Where Sexes
Are Changeable.
| England has war on her hands. Il
isn't very big one, but it gives the
English papers something to talk about
and the geographic and chronological
sharps chance to display their knowl
edge of distant lands and queer people.
The conflict RACES this time in corner
of India, between Lower Bengal and
! Upper Burmah, with race or races
known as the Lushais and the Chins.
They live among the mountains, and
are very decent sort of savages, it
seems, but for an overfondness for
strong drinks and head hunting. 1t is
the latter proclivity that has gotten
them into trouble with the British this
time. The men are strong, honest and
brave, though with an idea of courage
different from that of the rest of
the world. When the English troops
first invaded their country many years
ago, the natives shouted to them not to
stay out in the open like towards, but to
Each village has its chief, whose will is
supreme, and there are recognized one
supreme deity and a deputy deity. The
latter is supposed frequently to visit the
earth and often to be seen by the ma
tiveS. A future state is also believed in,
mighty hunters who have killed an ele-
plant and great warriors who have taken
many heads going to happy hunting
ground beyond the river Piel. Common
folks and all women, except girls who
die before they are weaned, go to the
village of dead people. Both in the
happy hunting ground and in the village
of the dead the native believes that he
will live three more lives and then dis
solve into mist and sink into the ground
forever.
The most peculiar feature of the social
life OF the people is the manner in which
person can unsex himself or herself.
A man dissatisfied with his sex can put
on woman's garments and thenceforth
be treated as woman, and woman
may make herself a man in the same
way. Women thus made into men even
go through the form of marriage with
other women, and it is recognized as
binding.
The first Lushal expedition of the
British was undertaken in 1871 to avenge
series of raids upon English villages,
in which many heads had been taken,
and in which, especially, white girl
named Mary Winchester had been car
ried off. The girl was rescued I'M
injured, and the natives were
severely punished. Of late years
these raids have been renewed, and
within year band of six hundred
Lushai raided in two days twenty-four
British villages, killing several hundred
British subjects and carrying ninety
one away into captivity. The Chins are
the eastern branch of the Lushai race.
and have been marrying the villages of
Upper Burmah just as the western
branch did those of India. Expeditions
started against the marauders from both
Burmah and Bengal last year, and sue
ceeded before cold weather set in in in
f1icting considerable damage upon the
natives and establishing posts some dis
lance within their territory. This spring
it is proposed to advance from both di-
rections and to open permanent way
through the country from Burmah to
Bengal, and to establish chain of posts
to protect tn Y Sun