The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1893-01-13
ODD PEOPLE OF ASIA.
PECULIAR RACE OF DWARF sAvAoEs
IN THE NlLGlRlS.

| N Nemhhnoio Souhtry WIN many hSs-
markabio Creatures - An Interesting
Story Of the Creation and the First Hu-
man Beings-A Weird Burial.
With queer insistency the English resi-
dents in India call the Himalayan ranges
"hills"-not only these immense noun
tains, but also the tremendous chain
which runs parallel to the Indian ocean
and sends its feelers. ~ it wsre. into the
center of south India. "Hills" indeed
is the generic term for those stations in
which the weary civilian and his wife,
the soldier and his family betake them
selves . rest during the woeful heats Of
summer.
Simla is naturally the grandest Of these
summer capitals. ror 1t houses the inn
perial government; Naini Tai shelters
that OF the northwest provinces; Bengal
retreats TO Darjillins and Madras to that
most delightful Of al stations-U Utaca-
mund, In the Eilgiri hills.
The Nilglris are perhaps the most
beautiful OF the many beautiful noun
tain ranges in India. They do not show
an amazing growth OF forestine giants,
but they are most verdurous Their sides
are covered with vast beds Of rhododen-
drons, whose dark leaves and enormous
scarlet flowers often make them look as
If on fire. Wild roses flourish with un-
wonted luxurianco, which, clambering
over woods Of lick and eugenia. make
impenetrable floral thickets.
Nor is the country alone remarkable
for its lovely landscapes or interesting
for its agricultural possibilities, as enter
prising coffee planters have set out i'm
mense orchards Of this cherrylike tree,
but chiefly 30 for the queer races which
find shelter in their wooded and well
watered canyons.
Some years ago the writer was in the
Nilgiris in connection with government
work, and had there the opportunity of
most impenetrable parts of this noun
tainous country. These are dwarfs and
have never been tempted to partalke Of
the benefits OF civilization. They still
live in holes In the ground or In hollow
trunks, are absolutely naked and quar-
rel with the raonkey over wild fruits.
Now and again they venture to the lower
levels and barter honey for glass beads
and other worthless gewgaws. They
hunt with bows and arrows and are re-
markably skillful In the use Of these
primitive weapons.
Another tribe equally as interesting
are the Todas, who since 1900 have at
tracted the attention Of Europeans.
The Portuguese thought they were
Christians and sent to their moral assist
anco Jesuit father, who, however, soon
discovered that they were the most ig-
norant heathens. Much argument has
been wasted upon the origin of these
people, some asserting they were alb
original TO southern India, others insist
ing they were Of the lost tribes Of Israel
and others that they were Manicheans.
However, only COO or 700 remain, and
the little settlements are scattered over
the most picturesque portions of the
Nilgiris. Their only worship is the buf-
falo, of which they have largo herds,
and whose care and the gathering of
wild honey constitute the sum Of their
daily toll.
Their story Of the creation bears some
resemblance to the belief Of the ortho-
dox Christian, for they tell how man
created a fellow man out of the earth
and finished the good work by making II
woman, not out of his own ribs. but the
other mans ribs. They have a trinity,
consisting of q father. son and kite.
The last was born of pumpkin. the
offspring of the first woman.
They. too, indulge in u heaven and q
hell, and as the mountain streams are in
tested with leeches which make thoir
passage uncomfortable, the Todas say
hell ID u river inhabited by these awful
creatures. spanned by a single thread,
over which the righteous can pass safely,
but too frail for the traffic Of the guilty.
The Toda's dead body il swathed in
new cloth. his toes are tied together with
red thread. earth Il thrown over his
corpse, and two Of his buffaloes are sacri-
fced. They impose the Dead mans
hands upon the animah' horns and la
ment with bitter cries his passage to tho
skull and finger nails the body is burned,
and the ashes are scattered to the four
winds Of heaven.
The relics Of the departed are taken to
the mourning house and stored with
those Of Others who during the year have
passed the great divide. Around this
house are hung the utensils which were
used by the deceased and those articles
which he most valued during life. Won
en- are jealously excluded from the In
terror of this house of woe. but are per-
mitted to peep through the crevices at
the assembled mourners, which year
later perform the last rites. They lie on
the floor, giving vent to the most hideous
howls, beating their breasts and exciting
each other to the flow Of tears
On the turf outside the house other
Todas maintain an exciting dance, call
ing out their loud huh-huh- hubs, stamp
ing their feet and dancing to the unin-
spring music Of the pipe and buffalo
hide drum, blown and beaten by the car
rion eating Kotas. who furnish music on
all these dismal occasions. Nor are the