Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-08-15

! In the side next 10 the sea was an OPEN
/ ing on tho side OF these straw huts 50
! ill-smelllng that it recalled the most
wretChed of the GAMMA aniamiles. The
! temperature was j. TO 10 degrees below
| freezing. A child announced the eX-
/ plorcr's approach. lie entered the. low
door, and saw upon the floor Of beaten
earth. grouped around a fire OF green
wood. three mcu-two young and one
Old Their hair fell upon their shoulders.
and heir boards were long and forked.
Their eyes were nearly hidden beneath
heavy eyebrows. Their skin was white.
They We're in fact. very Ike types Of
MOuJihs, or siberian peasants.
At the entrance TO the hut was a
woman grating new potatoes into a ket-
tie. She was not more than 20 years
Old. Her face was long and her check
bones high. Ter upper lip was entirely
covered by n wayy black moustache,
with turned-up points. She was mas
sYe creature, with powerful muscles, but
dcf0rmCd By hard work.
i'm a corner two dirty half-nude children
played. I'm the smoky atmosphere one
could barely distinguish hung from black
cued cords, vegetables, fish, and cooking
utensils. The entrance OF the traveller
surprised all. by a gesture which re-
sembiCd a Musselman salute, the old man
carried to his face his TWO hands and
then smoothcd his beard. This was his
WY OF wishing the traveller welcome.
Ills two companions initiated him, and
then the old Amos raised in his left
hand a cup full OF saki. lie swallowed it
slowly AMI prayed that the gods would be
favorable TO the stranger who had come
TO visit them. They then assumed an
impassiye appearance and seemed to have
forgotten the visitor.
This was The explorers first glimpse or
tie most cWiOusly adorned women or
either The Eastern or Western hemi phere.
lie had heard during his journey Of these
queer facts. but the reality was greater
than the imagination. Ho made a spe-
cial study of tho Amos women. and many
curious things aid he learn regarding
them. II seems that not every one can
grow a moustache What Is the cause or
this fact no one apparently knows. There
SIS not even q native explanation, except
the one found In the statement that the
moustache is ou indication Of the caste
or rank of the owner thereof.
The popularity is an the more strange
Tor the reason that the Amos arc a de-
c.dcdly hairy race. their whole bodies be-
ing generally covered with hair that is
naturally soft and silky. If. however one
OF the women pas es the age OF "a
with no trace OF a mOuslacne appearing,
her parents take it for granted that na-
ture has t1hooel her 50 far as mou
tachcs are concerned, and proceed TO sui
ply the detect, in appearance, at least, o'
the aid Of tattooiug. The skill (which
these people possess Of initiating the
moustache by these means is remarkable.
Indeed. at distance it is almost impos-
slbie to tell whether or not the moustache
is genuine or imitation.
Woman among the Amos IS an inferior
being. All heavy work, including that
OF the field, Us reserved for her. In child
hood. between and 10. her countenance
possesses a certain charm. After that
time the burden of life becomes OF such
a nature that in n measure It unseXes
what should be the fair sex.
once married. the moustached woman
IS more than ever the slave of the beard
ed man. She has not even the right TO
pray. Notwithstanding the position of
the woman in the house, it is not as
hard as might be imagined. She posses
ses, I'm fact. means Of defence which
is special TO herself. She can, when she
is angered, transform her countenance