The Nevada County picayune., 1918-06-13

@" HE Kirshiz are divided into
 N two branches; the Kara Cor
 H Back) Kirghiz. who inhabtt
 the uplauds of the Russo Chinese frontier on the hcadWaters of the 4enisei river, and the Kirghiz-Ka- zaks or Kirghz-Biders, who live on the Steppes of the central Asiatic plateau and extend as far west as the Nolga. The Kirghiz-KaZaks are q Turko-Mongolian people, whose ap- pearancc inclines to the Mongolian type, but whose language has pre- served its primitive Tatar (Turlish) form. writes E. Nelson Fell in Asia. They number about two million souls and are scattered over a wide terri tory of about two million square miles in extent.
 During seven years the writer lived in intimate association with this peo- pie, as employer of the small fraction of them willing to work in and around the mines. and as friend an1 com panon of the large majority of them, who preferred to carry on the spirit of their race on the open steppe, meet ing the sun in his daily course over the bouudless plateau and watching their animals under stars at night, fit ting from pasture to pasture as their fioeks and herds required fresh graz ing.
 Here is people which neither sows nor reaps, and which takes no thought of the morrow. but unthink ingly relies upon nature to provide for its wants by natural increase; which preserves its own integrity and con tinuity. not by restraints imposed from the outside, but by restraints imposed by the individuals upon them selves; which cares for the stranger by the divinely imposed duty of hos pitality, which provides for the fa- therless and the old and infirm by self imposed rules and customs; which re- spects its dead and raises monuments to protect their remains and which (prohablY since it's adoption of Mo hammedaniSm) believes in future life. The Eirghiz have been Moham-
  The essence of their code is kindliness and self-restraint kindness t0 man an beast and tO the helpless and weak, and self.coatrol which arouseS the sincere respect of our unbrided west ern natures.
 Their patriarchal Government
 They are strictly nomadic people, who have wandered over this semi arid land for centuries and have ae- qHired q preScriptiye title to it. with out any centralized form of govern mont to assert their rights to it asuinst intruders. Their form of pa- riarchal government is quite well defined to themselves but almost iuVis- ihlc to our centralized minds Each Aool Ca settlement of 11 or 20 tentsl Is in charge If T headman. sometimes q sultan" in whom all the property of fine Aool is considered to be vested, This ovcr-lord~hip usually passes from fathcr to son without friction, and ihc responsibility for the physical Wcllbeiu@ of tho Aool rests with him; the rules for the care of the old and young are prescribed by ancient GUS tom, and the harmony of the Aool is rarely disturbed
 Ii is guy life which the Kirghiz lead in their tents in the summer. Chattering an uneeasing chatter, they watch the sun slip across the sky and night finds them chattering still. If q stranger comes in sight they jump into their saddles and rush helter- ebelter to meet him With loud cries of "amann Amann, Bai - they wei come him and seize the reins of his horse. drag him al headloHe speed into their Aool and lead him into the tent suitable 10 his rank. The intensity of the chatter increases; the koumis k whipped 10 a foam in the huge skins which contain it and poured into a large bowl; from this fl is served in smaller painted hoeIs made of wood aud holding about quart, to each person present.
 The Kirghiz Tent
 IL Is gay. merry fife. and in the tents of the rich patr.mchs. if is one of considerable dignity Their tents are of snowy white felt with the edges gaily embroidered. The ropes passing over such tent are of camel's hair whose strands are of varied and gay colors. Like all yurtas. it Is circular in shape with a semi-clrcular dome like top. A large one will be 9 feet | in diameter. and the interior is free from all Instructions. The top is open to the sky, but can be closed at night |