The herald., 1922-08-31

III ihiiiH why's 10 lndt OF meuleVu
Europe. The mobiles live in caStle-forti
with large groups of retainers. Som,
OF these till the fields while other,
carry on Industries necessary for the
maintenance Of the establishment. II
the factory wings" of some of the
great castles many girls and women
are kept busy weaving silk. wool and
Gotten fabrics. Men make excellently
tempered swords and other weapons
from charcoal iron. and others engage
In gold and silversmith's work. In the
monasteries bells and images are cast
| from metals.
Their swords are very handsome
weapons, with finely finished blades
deliberately wrought, silver-handled.
inlaid with turquoise and coral. and
silver scabbards with gold-washed pat.
terms, attached 10 handsome leather
belts with brightly colored silk cords
and tassels. Their daggers are also
very fine, many of them with triangu-
lar blades and fluted sides with sheaths
OF exquisite open silver and gold work
set with turquoise.
The monasteries possess an ART
which is probably peculiar TO Bhutan.
They make most beautiful needlework
pictures of the saints on hanging ban.
ners. lnnumerable pieces of colored
SILKS ana brocades are applied in a
most artistic manner with elaborate
stitches of all kinds. Many of them
are veritable works Of art.
Another industry in which the
Hutanese excel Is basket-work and
fine mating, made from split cane.
The baskets are beautifully woven of
very finely split cane and some of the
lengths are cQlored to form a pattern.
They are made in two circular pieces,
rounded top and bottom, and the two
pieces fit so closely and well that they
can be used to carry water. They are
from . TO Is inches In diameter and
the Bhutanese use them principally
TO carry cooked rice and food. They
also make much larger and stronger
baskets, very much in the share of a |
mule-pannier, and these are used in a |
similar way for pack animals.
Why Their Work Is Excellent.
Possibly the excellence Of the work
produced in Bhutan owes much to the |
feudal system which still prevails |
there. Each penlop and jongpen has
his own workmen among his retalners.
men VINO are not paid by the piece
and are not obliged either to work I'D
to time or to work at all if the spirir
is not in them, and consequently they
put their souls into " hat they do. with
the result that some pieces of splendid
and excellent finish are
stu made. No two pieces are quite
alike. and each workman leaves his
impress on his work.
III Bhutan is ever opened I'D ms a
resort for sightseers Americas Grand
canyon and its Yosemite valley r,ay
nave to look to their laurels. The gorge
OF the Tchin-chu is bOrdered by stu
pendOus cliffs of the most weird
SHAPES, among the lowest of which Ell
captain Of the Yosemite would he
iwarfed. The towering rocks are cleft
IN numberless places from top TO hot
tom, leaving narrow Sits or assures.
some of which are said to be a mile
Or more long.
Inc Bhutanese men are fine. tall
with an open. honest
asst OF face, and the women are come
Y, clean and well dressed and excel.
ent housekeepers and managers
Their religion is Buddhism and their
language a dialect of Tfbetan. The
population Of Bhutan is about 400 600
The clothes of the higher officials
re always immaculate, their brocades
nd silks fresh and unstained in any
way, and even the coolies are a great
ontrast TO the usual Tibetan or Oar.
ceiling coolie. A great part of the ,
ountry Is under cultivation. and they
aise sufficient crops to support the
mole population, including the lamas.
IS the lamas In Bhutan are fed,
iothed and housed at state expense
no as their numbers have steadily
ncreased, they have become a very
eavy burden.