Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1893-05-30
ODD PEOPLE OF ASIA.
PECULIAR RACE or DWARF sAvAeEs
IN THE NiLoIRIs.

man Beirgs-A Weird Burial.
With queer insistency the English resi-
dents in India cali the Himalayan ranges
"hillo'-not only these immense noun
talns, but also the tremendous chain
which runs parallel to tho Indian ocean
and sends its feelers, as it were, into tie
center of south India. Hills" indeed
Is the generic term for those sfs5ioas in
which the weary civilian and his wife.
the soldier and his family betake them
selves 70 rest during the woeful heats of
summer.
Simla is naturally the grandest of these
summer capitals, ror it houses the i'm.
periai government; Naini Tai shelters
tnat OF the northwest provinces: Bengal
retreats to DarjiIling and Madras to that
most delightful Of all stations Utaca-
mund, IN the Nilgiri hills.
Inc Nilgr1s are perhaps the most
beautiful Of the many beautiful noun
tam 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 howers often make them look as
II on fire. Wild roses flourish with I'M
wonted luxuriance. which, cla,nbering
over woods Of lex and eugenia. make
impenetrable floral thickets.
Nor is the country alone remarkable
for its lovely landscapes or interesting
for its agricultural possibilities, as enter
prlsing coffee planters have set out inn
mense orchards of this cherrylike tree.
but chiefly SO for the queer races which
lind shelter in their wooded and well
watered canyons
Some years ago the writer was in the
Nilg1ris in connection with government
work, and had there the opportunity of
seeing the small sayages who live in the
most impenetrable parts of this noun
famous country. These are dwarfs and
have never been tempted to partake 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 monkey 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-
markedly 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
ance 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 We're alb
original to southern India, others insist
ing they were of the lost tribes of Israe
and others that they were Manicheans.
However. only 600 or 700 remain. ant
the little settlements are scattered ovel
the most picturesque portions of tbs
Nilgiris. Their only worship is the buf
falo. of which they have large herds
and whose care and the gathering o.
wild honey constitute the sum of theil
daily toll
Their story of the creation bears som,
resemblance to the belief of the ortho
dox Christian, for they tell how MAJ
created d fellow man out of the eartl
and finished the good work by making
woman. not out of his own ribs, hut tn,
other mans ribs They have a trinity
consisting of father. son and a kite
The last was born of pumpkin, til
offspring of the first woman.
They. too. indulge in heaven and
hell. and as the mountain streams are in
tested with leeches which make thei
passage uncomfortable, the Todas sa,
hell is river inhabited by these awful
creatures, spanned by single thread
over which the righteous can pass safely
but too frail for the traffic of the guilty
The Toda's dead body is swathed ii
new cloth, his toes are tied together wit
red thread, earth is thrown over hi
corpse, and two of his buffaloes are sacrI
feed. They impose the dead man
hands upon the animals horns and Ii
ment with bitter cries his passage to til
unknown world. After removing th
skull and finger nails the body is burned
and the ashes are scattered to the fou
winds of heaven.
The relics of the departed are taken
the mourning house and stored wit
those of others who during the year hay
passed the great divide. Around thi
house are hung the utensils which WEI
used by the deceased and those article
which he most valued during life. Won
en- are jealousy excluded from the il
terror of this house of woe, but are pc
mitted to peep through the crevices ;
the assembled mourners, which yes
later perform the last rites. They lie c
the floor, giving vent to the most hideol
, bowls, beating their breasts and excitir
each other to the flow of tears.
On the turf outside the house 9th,
Todas maintain an exciting dance, cal
!, ing out their loud huh-huh-huhs, STAN
! ing their feet and dancing to the uni
spring music of the pipe and buffa
, hide drum, blown and beaten by the ca
rion eating Kotas, who furnish music {
all these dismal occasions. Nor are ii
ceremonies yet over. The sacrifice HI
to be performed, and this is done in
Enthusiastically brutal fashion, for Il
, mild Hindustani can work himself III
the most fearful of religious frenzies.
San Francisco Chronicle.
Thirteens on the New Quarter.
On one side of the new quarter doll
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