The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-08-28

altitude of two miles above the sea
down to a thousand feet or SO. The
descent of the Brahmaputra at that
point Is such that we believe there
must be a great falls there. We may
have hidden in those jungles second
Niagara or a Zambesi Falls. But no 4
one knows for so far, no one has
explored that part of tho river"
And you say that the mighty British
nation pays tribute to these savages?
That is an odd policy for the strongest
OF the European powers. Is II not?
! The cabinet minister swallowed the
nattery without winking. He replied:
THE amount of the tribute is moth
/ ing. We pay II because it is cheaper to
pay than to fight. ne began it when
we took possession of the country AT
that time these savages were making
periodical raids upon the villages of
the lowlands. They would swoop down
from the hills and kill few people.
carrying away as much loot as they
could. They usually got a COW or SO.
q few goats, brace of chickens and
household effects worth comparatively
little. When we took possession we
called tho savage chiefs to a confer
ence and asked them how much they
made out of these annual raids. They
their stealings for the past few years
and estimated that they netted them
on the average about 1,22o rupees per
annum. That is a little more than
s400. We thereupon proposed to them
that If they would let our natives
alone and keep out OF the territory
we would pay them this much at a
fixed time every twelve months. They
agreed to do so and thus far have
kept their contract They come at the
appointed season for their money, and,
notwithstanding that the value of the
property in the villages nearby has
materially increased. they seem still
satisfied with their $500"
But is not that an undignifed way
of keeping the peace?" I asked.
Yes, but in this instance 1t is the
best. The only other thing we could
do would be to send troops into the
territory. We should have to fight all
the time, and unless we wiped out the
savages 1t would mean a continuous
loss Of money and life The country
| is a jungle and our men would be shot
with poisoned arrows from behind the
trees. The savages could kill many of
us without our being able to kill them,
and the game does not seem to be
worth the CANDLE"
Ihe BackWoOds of India.
This talk gives one peep into tie
backwoods of india This peninsula
is world in itself, Hindustan has
more nations than the continent of
| EUROPE and more races than you will
find on the hemisphere of the Americas.
Every locality has its own tribes and
peculiar castles, and here and there are
| peoples of whom our world knows
| nothing Man like
Secretary Robertson are scattered
through the forests of the different
sections of India. There are queer
| collections of Mongols on the borders
| or Tibet. strange forest dwellers on the
! Might hills, and aborigines on the
various Islands, and in Kashmir and
Beluchistan one finds peoples and Gus
toms which differ as much as those
OF the Eskimos and the Anglo Saxons.
There is one great class here known
as jungle people, They live in the
woods and are about as savage as the
natives OF the kongo. They believe in
witches and witch doctors and make
bloody sacrifices. Wild dances are a
part Of their worship, These people
are generally known as Animists and
they number 100000 or 9,oO0,VU0.
they live in all sorts OF ways, feeding
largely on Wild herbs and fruits, and
| dwelling in caves ortemporary shacks,
which they leave when they seek a
new location.
In the eastern Himalayas are the
| Nagas, the descendants OF the ancient
snake worshipers. They are head
hunters and now and then raid the
lowlands
In southern India are Tho Yanadis,
VINO nave round huts made OF brush
ufrr
jungle fruits and wild honey. They
are as shy as our Negritos, and Will
run at the sight OF white man.
| Among the Andamans.
Rurlng my stay In India have me-
: some OF The British officials who have
= eaatSa Of .lhs.Apdamal Islands. Thass