Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1898-05-05
DWARFs in THE aYRENEEs.
Theory of Their Origin Derived From
Their Legendary History.

Theory of Their Origin Derived From
Their Legendary History.
There has long dwelt in the heart
Of the Pyrenees, on the old Cataloni
an border of Spain, race of dwarfs
supposed by some to be VI Tartar
origin.
They inhabit the valley of the
Ribas, in the northwestern part Of
the Spanish province now called
Corona. They never exceed 511a
inches in height and have short, i'll
formed legs, great bellies, small
eyes, fiat noses and pale, unwhole-
some compilations. They are usual
ly stupid, often to the verge Of lido
cy, and much subject to goiter and
scrofulous affections. The chief
town of the Ribas valley is Ribas, a
place of 800 inhabitants, about 800
feet above sea level. The mountains
rise above the town to height of
5000 to 5000 feet and command an
amazingly beautiful panorama of
mountain, plain and river, with
Spanish cities visible upon the one
side and French upon the other.
The region is rich, both agricultural
~ and minerally, and is famous for
its medicinal springs. In this para
disc dwell the dwarfs, perhaps as de-
graded race of men and women as
may be found in any civilized COM
munity. They are almost without
education, and inhabit wretched huts
when they have any shelter. The
most intelligent are employed as
shepherds, and in summer they live
for months at an elevation of more
than 5000 feet without shelter. Here
they see no human creature save
some of their own kind, often idiots,
who are sent up every 5 or 90 days
with a supply of food.
1t is said that formal marriage is
almost unknown among them. The
women in some instances are en-
ployed in the village of Ribas as
nurses for children, and as such are
found tender and faithful. Before
communication throughout the re.
gion was as easy as it is now it was
thought lucky to have one of these
dwarfs in family, and the dwarfs
were hired out and even sold to be
used in beggary in neighbo1ing cit
les. There are somewhat similar
dwarfs in other valleys OF the Pyr
enees, but the number is decreasing
and those Of the Ribas alley are re
duced to few individuals.
The writer rejects the theory of {
Chinese origin for the dwarfs ant
believes that they are merely tn,
degenerate descendants of the ordi
nary natives, i'll nourished for gen
erations upon diet of potatoes ant
black bread. The fact that with i'm
proved means of communication tn
dwarfs are decreasing helps to con
firm the writer's theory, and he be
lieves that with proper nourishmen
and decent shelter their descendant
would gradually return to the nor
NAL type. Meanwhile the neigh
bors of the dwarfs look upon then
with curious mixture of feelings
The fact that the dwarfs drink mucl
at particular mineral spring ha
given rise to superstition that who
ever drinks of it will become de
formed, and the normal natives ar
Mortified to see visitors experiment
ing with the dreaded waters. Their
is reason to believe that the water
of the spring are beneficial in tn
stomachs of we'll nourished persons
but injurious to those who are az
customed to an unwholesome die
and it is entirely possible that tn
i'll fed dwarfs have been injured b
drinking of the spring Cosmos.
Karl's Glover Root Tea is pleasan
laxative. Regulates the bowels, pur
fies the blood. Clears the complexion
Easy to make and pleasant to take. % cenr'
Sold nv o. w HOustOn