Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1893-01-31
ODD PEOPLE OF ASIA.
PECULIAR RACE or DWARF sAvAoGs
IN THE NlLolRis.

PECULIAR RACE or DWARF sAvAoEs
IN THE NlLolRls.
a Remarkable Country With hssy nss
nsrksbis Creatures - A Interesting
stssy es The crsssiss and the Tirss H.
nsa Bslngs-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, - II were. into the
center Of south India. "Hills" indeed
Il 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.
Simls Il natu. .ally the grandest Of these
summer capitals, ror II houses the I'm.
perial government; Naini Tai shelters
that OF the northwest provinces; Bengal
retreats to Larjilling and Madras TO that
most delightful Of all stations-Utaca-
mund, In tLe N1gih hills.
The Nilgins 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 -
II on fire. Wild roses flourish with un.
wonted luxuriance, which, clambering
over woods Of ilex and eugenia, make
impenetrable floral thickets.
Nor Is the country alone remarkable
for Its lovely Landscapes or interesting
for It's agricultural possibilities, a. enter
prising coffee planters have set l't In
mense orchards Of this cherylike tree,
but chiefly so 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
seeing the small savages 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 tho 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.
markably skillful In the uso Of these
primitive weapons.
Another tribe equally as interesting
are tho Todas, who since 1900 have at.
tracted the attention Of Europeans.
Tho 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 were alb
original to southern India, others insist
ing they wero Of the lost tribes Of Israel
and others that they were Manicheans.
However, only 600 or 700 remain, and
the little settlements are scattered over
tho most picturesque portions Of the
Nilghs. Their only worship Is the buf.
falo. Of which they have large herds,
and whose care and tho 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 q man
created o fellow man out Of the earth
and finished the good work by making .
woman, not out Of his own ribs, but the
other mans ribs. They have . trinity,
consisting Of o father. son and kts.
The last was born Of . pumpkin, the
offspring Of the first woman.
They, too. indulge In heaven and .
hell, and as the mountain streams are In.
tested with leeches which make their
passage uncomfortable, tho Todas say
hell is river inhabited by these awful
creatures, spanned by 0 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 IN Q
new cloth, his toes are tied together with
red thread. earth Is thrown over his
corpse, and two Of his buifaloes are sacri.
feed. They impose the dead mans
hands upon the animals horns and In.
ment with bitter cries his passage to tho
unknown world. After removing tho
skull and finger nails the body is burned,
and the ashes arc scattered to the four
winds Of heaven.
The relics Of the departed are taken to
tho 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 ct
the assembled mourners, which q year
later perform the last rites. They he on
tho floor. giving vent to the most hideous
howls, beating their breasts and exciting
each other to the flow Of tears.
On the turf outside tho house other
Todas maintain an exciting dance, cali
ing out their loud huh.huh.huhs, 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
ceremonies yet over. The sacrifice has
to be performed. and this 10 done In .
Enthusiastically brutal fashion, for tho
mild Hindustani can work himself into
the most fearful Of religious frenzies.-
Ban Francisco Chronicle.
Thirtssns ON the New Quarter.