The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-05-19
II. P.WaSSOn&CO.


ing the country TO the southwest. The
Tangut chief in whose village We were stay
ing suggested that we secure the services
~ OF the exhibition than belief in his pow
ers We called his services into requisition-
He was thin, sly-looking Individual. with
long, cadaverous face. which upon ar
irving in our presence he covered with .
hideous mask so ludicrous In its appearances
that only the greatest amount OF tact pre-
vented our laughing at il, an unbrooked
familiarity in the light OF such holiness that
could not have been lightly condonsd- After
muttering innumerable prayers and mean
tations ne manufactured a lot OF little
snakes, frogs and other animal forms which
he was pleased to call sea monsters
prayers over each in a wearisome rponotone.
tossed them 10 the four winds OF heaven
the gods had been appeased and that IRE
weather would henceforth be our portion
We waited long and anxiously Tor the
day, 1t did come, and Notwithstanding the
long interim between the incantatioh ana
in his seS own mind at least. that IL was as
half
upon by lama who. producing from beneath
the folds of his dress a hard biscuit. which
from constant handling had the appearance
of ball of polished ebony. announced tnat
this potent relic haG been sent TO him by the
deities few weeks before and that whoever
bangnr IN or h ibrst its re-
markable qualities he besought US TO give
him few yards OF red cloth in exchange
and really seemed surprised that We could
see through his shallow artifice. Among tbs
crude and unsuspecting natives. however.
these rascals have almost unlimited power
and impose upon them In manner that
would be marvellous were it not for the fact
that brief sojourn in Thibet soon acqua1nts
the traveller with the fact that among this
uneniightened people, nothing In the guise
of religion is impossible.
SOME STRANGE CUSTOMS
Like most savage peoples the Sifan Thi-
betans have numerous strange customs ana
ceremonial ntes which vary widely among
tribes and individuals. Among the most GU
rious are those observed on occasions OK
birth. marriage or death. When q child il
born il is at once washed with some potent
liquid manufactured by the lamas IL order
to ensure robustness and fearlessness In
warfare and the chase 1t is then smeared
with fresh yak dung at frequent intervals
during several days following, a mixture 10
which the native belief ascribes numerous
powerful qualities TO drive away the evil
demons who are striving to snatch IL. al
though after one has been brought into close
acquaintance with one OF these truly cdorif-
erous infants one cannot help wondering a.
to how even the most malignant supernatu-
raj visitors can summon sufficient courage to
undertake this truly aegean task. Th6 In
itial baptism is practised among both sexes.
but male children when they have reached
the age of ten years are obliged 70 60
barous initiation into manhood.
The youth undergoing this ordeal Is placed
In small cave dwelling for several weeks
and provided with barely enough food to
Keep alive the thin spark OF existence which
is visited from time to time by the lamas.
@ pd ec him Inn, with strips of prayer psps
sticks, so that only those Possessed OF the
hardest constitutions are able TO SURVIVE
period OF fasting he is provided with weap-
ons and although possessing scarcely
enough strength to totter. along must en-
gage on hunting expedition and return
within a week with proofs OF his proves.
else he is banded an outcast and one ac-
cursed OF the gods, and is allowed TO de IN
| the desert The effect of this inhumanIfy Is
10 cause an enormous death rate among the
males OF the total number OF that sex born
nearly 80 per cent. die from hardship or DIS
ease before reaching maturity.
FUNERAL CEREMONIES.
Death, as is but natural to expect whsre
/ Ii is of such frequency. Is not looked upon
| or awaited with fear, and suicides are OF
| common occurrence. The funeral ceremony
as in all unciviiized countries, is a function
| attended with great eclat Whatever may
have been the fraiities OF the deceased or
| however undeserving he may be Of the
honor, so soon as he is dead his relatives
| far and near are summoned to attend the
obsequies. The corpse. arrayed In the most
| gorgeous habiliment that can be procured.
deceased. is seated in chair and placed in
the open air in front OF his former dwelling
For three days or even a week the body Is
composition having set in shortly. after
death, the stencn arising from one OF these
N u s
| standing. During this time the relatives
and friends gather around and indulge IN
/ wild dancing or drinking huge rotations OF
| native liquor. complimentfng the corpse on
his newly acquired state OF blessedness ana
be in his shoes In the meantime the iamss
have been paid 10 discover the proper place
for wc be ensg srs r ins
/ yoked and then a small basket OF eggs In
| carried round by the head priest. who. nut
eround from a height of six inches at =
| likely spot. IL the egg breaks the search 10
found. IL being the popular belief that when
the right spot has been reached the god9(
will signify 1t by preventing the egg from
The grave eventually having been dug
| and exercised OF evil spirits the whole popu-
son OF '9 fes sa az w u ereryboy rereea
| himself 10 the fullest limit, the chair con-
tanning the corpse Is lifted upon the should
man. and IN this sitting position is carried
| TO the grave. With scant ceremony II II
dumped into the hole the NAL, ALE
| the women in the meantime bowling dir9es
in musical ululations truly dolorous This
| sumptuous burial Is accorded however but
10 the male women being buried IN the FIRST
| convenient spot that presents itself. without
| OBSERVATIONS display OF any kind. or else
| tossed into some swiftly rushing stream 70
| be carried away without further ceremony.
| While buriaLs are usually matters or grest
| rejoicing. ~ which everybody joins Win
| happy frame and smiling counfenance. on
| the other hand wedding ceremonies are re-
| markably gloomy affairs The father OF tho
girl who T. TO be married brings her 20 the
| house OF his prospective son-in-aw with
| rope tied round her neck as badge OF sub
| servience. Her good points and her de<r-
| ability as n wife are pointed out with the
] same air that a connoiseur Of horseneoh
| would diate upon the good points OF an a.
| inal II the man who wishes wife y sat-
isfed with the bargain he gives knowiedRo
| of his acquiescence by bringing forth erfi>
cles al what he estimates her value Some>
times the matter Il settled al once. but ofso0
II may be prolonged for days ana weeks Win
constant haxgling over thu price 10 Be peiep
not infreuuentfv ending n Se~~>s'navv -
A 4 A Nx1(lN ~