The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1912-11-30
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radiate an interminable series of birch and fir
clad gules. The Tao river sharply divides this
type of country from the low. bare. cultivated
slopes where Taochow lies From the summit OF
the pass one drops down between narrow grass
covered corries to the little town-if such it can
be caled-of Choni within few hundred yards
Of the river. Incidentally, passes from
lackadaisicai inert China into atmosphere of
border feuds. medieval raids. pine-covered snow
capped peaks and a wild of Highlanders
1t is a quaint little place. like pigeons nest In
a cluster Of red cliffs, dominated by o lamaserai
containing six hundred monks dirtF and evil
looking most of their tribe The capital OF
the Prince OF Choni 1t is the only town within
his dominions, which extend over districs halt
as large as Scotland. haf-caste Thibetan, aged
twenty-three he furnishes very pretty parallel
to Rehoboam. His predecessor. who was the
eighteenth of his line. popular and wise old
ruler adopted him. The prince. on his death.
turned away the old men who had hitherto helped
to govern the forty-eight wild tribes who owned
allegiance to their master and substituted his own
friends spending his nights with them in gam
bling, opium-smok ng and other forms Of dissfpa-
ton He is dependent on China and under the
authority of the county Official who in turn is
under the provincial governor who, again, Is
subject to the viceroy of Shensi and Kansu. This
parsonage resides at Lanchow. When we arrived
at the capital. the prince and about two hundred
men Che pays tribute to China. but must sup
ply two thousand irregular cavalry IL called
upon) were away in the hills fighting the T'e-pu.
a wild aboriginal tribe who infest the country to
the south of the Minshan mountains These In
teresting people divided into fourteen clans.
and are much dreaded by the Chinese. who only
venture through their country once. year. They
then organize a big caravan of merchants with
guards, and get through quickly as possible
The T'e-pu are very hostile to strangers. and IT
would probably be much as ones possessions
were worth to venture into their territory alone
clan protects its own friends and the friends OF
its chief but not the friends of another clan who
are looked on as legitimate prey. When they
hold stranger in great affection and reverence
they have custom of regarding him as their
adopted father As an illustration OF their char
acter the prime minister of the late Prince OF
Choni being adopted father by about forty
T'e-pu went alone among them to retrieve the
grandchildren of Christian convert whom they
had kidnapped All the kings horses and all the
kings men were powerless; but this one man.
because he was their friend. safely entered their
country and returned with the children They are
not agriculturists but live chiefly by barter and
come into Choni occasionally for provisions.
saw a plumber of them later on. including a lama
who performed monotonous and somewhat
seuseless dance for edifcation. At times
they dash down in sudden raid as the Chon-
,ans are watering their horses and livestock at
the river. and whirl them away into the hills be-