The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1918-06-13


to the sky, but can be closed at night
or in bad weather by tunduk or
large flap Of felt. Inside there Is no
furniture, but the ground, which con
stitutes the floor, Is covered with the
finest embroidered felts and rugs from
Samarkand. The sides are hung with
gorgeous silks and large silk cushions
are profusely distributed.
When guests are expected, the fam
lily hangs their brightest clothes ana
richest furs on ropes which stretch
across the tent, and the whole effect
is beautiful and extremely luxurious
Everyone sits on the ground or re-
cines on cushions and, when food Is
served (Which Is continuous per-
formance). a small round table Is
brought in, about six inches high.
The only discontented thing In the
tent is the hunting eagle, which sits
In the background on his perch, sigh
ing for the return Of winter.
The Kirghlz are short, thick-set
race, with coarse black hair on their
heads but with little hair on their
faces. Their complexion Is dark Oh
i've brown and the young people have
a pleasant rosy glow In their cheeks;
their features have many of the Mon
gOlian characteristics. The race Is
much mixed however and individuals
of Turkish and Semitic cast of fea-
lures are not lacking. They are
neither ugly nor beautiful, but their
expression is kindly and gentle; their
teeth are usually white and often en-
dure to old age unblemished. They
never walk or perform any manual Ia
Dor, and their hands and feet are al
most invariably small.
They are perfect hOrsemen In Their
own peculiar style of riding; they SIT
on tiny saddles with very short STIR
rups. No man could ride on such
saddles If he were not encased, as
they are, in layer upon layer of thick
cottOn-wadded clothes and furs (usu'
ally sheepskins), and none of our race
would consent to present the picture
which they do when they sit perched
high on their small ponies, stuffed oul
twice or thrice their natural girth.
Winter Their Hard Time.
The winter is hard time for mar
and beast. It Is seven months long
and the wind never tires of blowing
while the thermometer sinks to so anf
!, go degrees below zero. When the bliZ
zard blows, the air Is full of blindinS
snow, and when the sun shines, as i
does sometimes, the snow becomes
covered with hard crust, and thel
the stock suffers cruelty. Not so muci
, the horses, for they are naturall!
tough and can paw through the crust
hut the cattle are more helpless an
the sheep and goats entirely so, ant
they must be herded where the snow
, Is soft or where there Is none, or the.
must be fed from the small supply o
wild hay which has been saved duI
ing the summer. Only the camel l
safe, with his long hair protecting nj
uncouth body, and large soft eye
which can look straight into the storm
and with his two Jumps of fat. o
= which he can live till the stormy tim
passes and spring comes again.
y The only relief which the peopl
" have from the tedium of winter
sport. of which they are very fon'
:, y They have few firearms and only US
them when they hunt the blghor
4 sheep. Then they shoulder muzzl
loading, smOOth-bOre. single-barr'
rifle about four feet six inches Ion
whose barrel is so heavy that it mus
G be supported by wooden crutch
e it's muzzle end. The smaller anima
s they hunt with eagles, in the trainir
IS and handling of which they are ski
g full. and good eagle will, in seaso
Ir catch sufficient hares and foxes aT
Y wolves to furnish enough pelts II
If clothing all the dwellers in the 40
p with the furs which are so necessa
It to them.