The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-05-08

IT IS DOUBLE THE HEIGHT OF
*.
hills. Tea grows to an elevation OF
almost mile. The trees and hardy
grains rise mile higher and it is
not until three miles that the hardy
flowers are still found at almost four
miles above the sea.
Tigers of the Foothills.
As we rode through the jungle /
looked out for the tigers, which the
trainmen tell me are frequently seen.
There are many of them in the low
lands. and they hug the base of the
mountains There Is a region here
covered with bamboo cane and grass
which is infested not only by tigers,
but also by buffalos, bears, deer and
wildhogs. The cane grows to a height
of forty feet and the grass is so
high that sitting on horseback you
cannot reach the tops of the stalks.
The tigers are hunted everywhere, but
they are still SO numerous that. ac-
cording to the government records, 500
or 500 persons are killed by
them every year The beasts do not
usually attack men. but If they once
1t thereafter.
One tiger is known to have killed
eighty of the natives within twelve
months, and an1her los in a space
of three years. One of the agents of
the Indian forestry department. tells
me that about 1000 tigers are killed
every year. and that the government
gives reward for every beast de-
stroyed.
The tigers of India are magnificent.
but are not equal to those of Man
churia. They are found in the noun
tains as high as two miles, but even
that elevation does not cause the fur
to grow so long as the cold winters
of North China and Mongolia, and the
Test skins come from the latter To-
calities. The male tigers Of the Him
alayas weigh up to about 500 pounds
each, and the females to about 100
pounds less. Many are caught here
of the worlds great cities, some of
them so fierce that they will jump at
You If You come near their cages,
wounding themselves against the bars.
/. Dnrjceling.
I am well situated here in DARRELL
ing. This is summer resort for the
British of the Indian lowlands and 1t
has excellent hotels, fine residences
and numerous furnished villas which
are let our for the season. There are
also hospitals and sanatriums. There
are several stores. and the whole is
q little slice of England in the heart
of the Himalayas. The buildings are
rooted with galvanized iron, but there
are many pretty cottages and bum
Salows There are several churches,
public gardens and also military.
camp situated outside the town Among
the finest homes in the place is that
of the Lieutenant-Governo Of Bengal.
who Is here about four months every
year.
One of the sights of Darjeeling is
the bazaar filledwth traders and pa.
tronized by the natives for miles
around. Sunday Is the market day,
and ut this time the town Is ,hronged
with Himalayans. Traders come here
from Tibet. and there are Nepalese.
Lencsas and Bhotiyans. There are
natives from Siklin and the slopes
Of Mount Everest, as we'll as laborera
from the zoo tea plantations nearby.
Muscular Mountain NInidens.
/ find these natives most Interesting
especially the women. You have heard
of the strength of the girls of Tibet
where the wife bosses the household
even though she has three or four hus-
bands. From what j see here l judge
the statement is true. These girls
could handle the average American
husband and rest between rounds. I
found score at the depot when ]
arrived and hired one to carry my
trunk to the hotel. The way was
steep but she agreed to take 1t up
IA 81 ~ I'D
on her back The women are the drays
of Darjecling, and the road carts as
we'll. They carry the dirt for repair
ing the streets, digging 1t out OF the
/ hills with pick-nXes and shoveling II
into great baskets fastened by a. strap
over the forehead to the backs OF
these human drays. Each basket holds
two or three bushels, and, we'll filed
/ Will weigh more than 100 pounds. The
girl stands with the basket on hel
! back while loading, and she may, per.
/, haps, have a baby in her arms. These
| women carry great weights, and an
| told that one has been known to take
| n cottage piano OIL her back twelve
! miles up tho mountain DOUBTED this
! for a time, but not now Their mighty
| shoulders, strong bodies and grea
! calves and ankles are such that
verify believe they could move, noun
| tains. ] saw one plodding up the hills
! this morning, carrying basket o.
| cordwood. two of which would hay,
been good load for mule.
The SHnaWs of tho IllmuIayns.
/ These lfimalayn girls look like GU
I Indians They have the same copper
\ compleNions. the same high cheel
\ bones semi natnoses and long straigh
i black hairs II you will keep in min,
! the prettiest squaw YOU have ever secI
I YOU may have fair type of tho ,a
ltive hello Of Darjeeling Won mus
| add about two pounds. of jewelry t.
i each ounce of flesh and make the eyes
I OF the sauaw brighter and her lool
/ more Intelligent, These mountain girls
are loaded With iewelry, The poores