The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1904-02-01
Keeps up Old State.

\ our correspondent counted 100 IOQa
villages, so called, each consisting Of
four huts and a temple. Eighty or more,
though, are uninhabfted, the popula-
ton having died out. The villages are
built on mountain tops and precipices
that can be reached only With much
difficulty by narrow and dangerous
paths. The huts make q cleaniy and
pleasant appearance. They are built Of
wood and the walls on the inside are
covered with some sort Of cement. They
cover from eight to fifteen square feet
and are from seven to eight feet high.
The roof consists OF bambus twigs and
palm leaves. There is only one en-
trance, which can be locked by a stout
plank running through two pillars. OPP
pcsite the door is the masters bed on
a little platform covered with straw
mats and fur rugs. In the other end or
the room are an oil stove and shelves,
with kitchen utensils.
The temple is always the Target hut
of the village, as all the Inhabitants
keep their milk in one parttoft the eai-
fee, separated from the priests room
by board wall.
The Todas call themselves kings Of
the hills" and scorn the idea of tilling
the soil. For many centuries neighbor-
ing tribes have paid them tribute in
the shape OF grain and other neees-
saries. This seams TO indicate that the
suppOsitiOn IS correct which stamps
the Todas as descendants of soldiers OF
C0nquerOrg. Your correspondent asked
members of the Bagada tribe, living in
the Nilgiri hills. Why they continue tbs
practice Of furnishing the mountaineers
with provisions. They said they did
not know; It had always been so since
the days of King Ravana.
Ia. - L
"A mighty giant monarch living far
away from Madras. He banished the
Todas TO this territory. excluding them
from their beautiful homes, their great
cities; all their great riches.
The Ravana story is an instance or
the persistency with which the Todas
maintain their sway over the weak
minded native races. Among them the
Bagadas are the worst blackmailed Of
them all. II one of their rich men
marries he has TO pay each male Toda
one-quaTter or one-half Of a rupee, that
is. 10 To 20 cents. on pain of being kid
mapped and held prisoner until The liege
lords are paid in full.
They have no literature and even
their traditions on things divine live
in memory only. As already stated, the
majority believe in one God without re-
slrtctiug the rest OF the community as
70 me NUMBER OF SodS GneE tuupeS 10
worship. Your correspondent enc0un-
tered many TOdas who seemed TO be-
iieve in the RECONSIDERATION Of the soul
All hope TO live after death in the great
heavenly empire of OrunooF. which cor
responds in all things with the happy
hunting grounds Of the American IN
dian. The women are we'll treated and
seem TO keep the men ia a sort Of sue-
iection
The girl does the counting herself and
cannot be forced to marry against her
VIII. This is oEly fair when It is con-
sidered that she manries not one. but
half d dozen men BY the one act. ana
IS. therefore. binding herself to ali Of
them. The man. on the other hand may
refuse the hand offered him. If he ac-
Cepts he is expected to present six or
eight bUffaloes to Ehe young lady's par.
ents, and tilat settles the bargain.
The husbands brothers do rot dive
with the couple-they may have wives
OF their own-but they Dsas cali up1f
their sister-ia-law at all times and The