Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1897-10-01
WOMEN WHO. WEAR MUSTAcHES,
Ttese strange Feminines live ON
.-LN 40 I.I.nd ~ Yesa. .Iannnu

Ei the Island OF Heso, Japan. s
\ "A. M. KlabukowslSi, an explorer and
delegate of the, Commercial Geo
graphical society of France, has j,is1
made report giving the details con-
corning d race of mustached white
women who inhabit the Island of Yeso
one of the northernmost of the Jap
anese group. M. Klabukowsli has just
returned from an exploration Of the
island, and claims to be. the first white
man that has ever penetrated its in
terror. The, inhabitants Of the island
are called "Ainos," meaning dogs, and
their condition can be judged from this
nppellation. 'i''f pf ''ls Anp
They are thought to be descendants.
at some remote period, of the ancient
inhabitants of Russia, The principal.
Characteristic of the people is hirsute
adjournment of the women. The ex-
plorer1 reports that thSse women are
massive in appearance, aod, in fact, APP
pear to better physical advantage than
the men. They have high cheek bones,
and are distinctly Caucasiah. They do
not have that CHASTITY yellowish COM
plexion characteristic, of the Chinese
and Japanese, but rather bear every APP
pearance of white women who have
lived in the, open air. ,ls H.. III.
Their mustaches, when natural, are
always black and silky, and are in
yariaIbly turned up at both ends. NJ.
Klabukowski says they remind him
much of the fashion of mustachios af-
fected by Emperor William Of Ger
many.
1t was near Muroren, one of the ports
of the Island of Yeso, that M. Klabu-
kowski encountered the Amos. Mu-
roren is an encampment,, a straight
street, inhabited by poor japanese. At
a short distance away is another vii
lage,-a few grimy huts. This is the
village of the Amos. ."N'"''. -
The explorer visited this place and
entered one of the ill-smelling straw
Heisaw upon the floor of beaten earth.
grouped around a fire of green wood,
three men, two young and one. old.
Their hair fell upon their shoulders,
and their boards were long and forked.
Their eyes were nearly hidden benea tb
heavy eyebrows. Their skin was white.
They were, in fact, very like types OF
Moujiks or Siberian peasants. He made
1 a special study of the. Amos women
and learned many curious things. 1t
seems that not every one can grow a
mustache. What is the cause of this
fact no one apparently knows. There
is not even a native explanation, except
the one found in the statement that the
mustache is an indication of the caste
OF rank of the owner thereof.
The popularity is all the more
strange for the reason that the Amos
are decidedly hairy race, their whole
bodies being generally covered with
hair that is naturally soft and silky
If, however, one of the women passes
the age of IA with no trace of a mus
tache appearing her parents take it fol
granted that nature has tabooed hel
SO far as mustaches are concerned and
proceed to supply the defect, in appear
ance, at least, by the aid of tatooing
The skill which these people possess o.
initiating the mustache by these means
is remarkable. Indeed, alta distance i
is almost impossible to tell whether .ol
not the mustacbe is genuine or imita
ton.
Woman among the Amos is an in
.ferior being. All heavy work, includ
ing that of the field, is reserved for her
4 In childhood, between eight and ten
her countenance' possesses a certain
charm. After that time the burden o
life becomes of such a nature that II
a measure II unsexes what should b,
the fair sex. .,,a ..lo s.l ...
Once married the mustached woman
is more .Aan ever the slave of the beard
ed man. She has not even the right t.
pray. However, she possesses means
of defense which is special to herself
She can, when she is angered, trans
form her countenance into horrible
mask, having as a maker of grimace
an nimitable talent.
Her. husband cannot ignore the fac
that this perverse and mustached crea
turc, without honor or religion, will
hesitate at pothing; that, if she is to-
badly treated, can do him an i'll turn
that she may, for example, serve him
in the guise of veDison, several piece
of dead bodies, or, when she is yer.
serious, burn his amulets.-Cincinnat