The Helena independent., 1892-04-25
THE APACHES OF CHINA.
They Are Hostile Mountalneers, and China
Has Mover Subdued Them.

They Are Hostile Mountaineers, and China
Has Mover subdued Them.
Perhaps few people know that China has
within her borders alien people almost as
different from her own subjects as our In
dians are from white men. says the New
York Sun. One Of these tribes lives in the
mountainous region of southwestern Sc
chuen, one of the richest and most popu-
lous provinces of the empire on the Upper
Yangtse river. The tribe are known as the
Lolos, and are the aborigines of the coun-
try. They are thorough barbarians, and
the Chinese have as yet neither conquered
Mr.. Hcsie, who wrote a book on his travels
in China. met with some of the Lolos,
whom he described as tall aud physically
fine people. Some of our Indian tribes
are being absorbed gradually by the
intermixture Of white blood. The
Lolos. however, succeed in keeping them
selves entirely distinct. The Chinese have
hemmed them in on all sides, but they
maintain their racial purity. In fact the
Chinese are very we'll content if they can
keep these savages within their wild hills.
for they are.apt to be on the warpath. and
when they raid the valleys and plains they
carry Chinese women and children into
captivity, and make the government great
deal of trouble.
Father Delome, French missionary in
Sechuen, writes that the Lolos have been
on the rampage again. He says they made
many incursions last summer into the cul-
tivated lands of the Chinese, plundering
and burning the houses and carrying the
people away into slavery. The Chinese or
ganized little army and defeated the
Lolos in pitched battle, in whioh great
number of them we're killed. Father De-
lome says however, that the barbarians
LAM l,o,- JaFn
will nurse the spirit of revenge. They will
bide their time, and sooner or later they
will avenpe their slain.
All around the mountains of the Lolos are
the populous regions of China. The savages
are surrounded by millions of semi civil
lized people, and it is astonishing that a
few thousand men can inhict. almost with
impunity, such suffering unon the neiRhbor-
ing peoples. Father Dslome writes
that the city of Iapu is tho farthest
rampant of the Chinese against the barba-
rians. There is no assurance of safety be-
yond the circle of its wallis. For many
| months at time. however, the Lo,os keep
to their hills, and then some Chinese fami-
lies will leave the city to find spot outside
upon which to settle.
! Last summer ten Chinese families were
living in narrow rayine not far from the
city. Once in while they met some of
| tho Lolos, and their relations with them
were so pleasant that they came to feel that
that there was no peril to be feared. The
illusion was dispel!ed when eighty of the
savages suddenly descended upon the
lonely hamlet. surrounded the cabins of
the unfortunate inhabitants, killed some of
the people and dragged most of the others
into captivity, only few of them escap-
ing.
Another tribe of alien people are sepa-
rated from the fierce Lolos by about n hun
dred miles of Chinese settlements. These
people we're thoroughly subdued whan
China conquered their country, and now
are leading peaceful and industrious lives.