New Britain herald., 1927-06-06
WORLDS FINEST
 REPUBLIC FORMED
It Is Between Siberian Forests
 and Mongolia

Washington. D. C.. June 3-Some- l. where between the deep Siberian forests and the vast MonSolian des- ert the Russian government ts re- ported to have created the worlds tiniest republic-Tannu-Tu -Tuva.
 Iannu-Tuva lies in the valley just north of the Tannu mountains, and southwest of Irkutsk. where the Criankhai Cor forest dwellers) have long roamed in splendid isolation, seldom seen by anyone except few traders and agents of the Russian government.
 Reindeer Is Everything.
 The Uriankhai resemble the round-faced. slant-eyed Mongolians to the south and east of them, but lack the agressiveness of their Oriental neighbors. Hidden away in their valley domain. they ske out q lazy day.to-day existence with their deer herds The animals are tame and require little attention. As re- suit, the Uriankhai spends most of his time lounging about his tepee. Often as many as 500 deer will be seen around . tribal camp of twenty to thirty tepees. They graze all day and at nightfall not only return to tho camp but to the tepee of their individual owners. Only the off, spring have to be given special care and the women do that.
 Deer milk. deer meat, and tender roots are the principal foods of the Uriankhai and for clothing they wear deer skins. Whom they go hunting. they use the deer for trans portation and the fieet-footed animal is even charged" with responsibility for Uriankhat intoxicating liquor. Spirits are crudely distilled from fermentcd deer milk.
 Women Are Expert Tanners.
 When the women ara not busy with tho herd, they dress hides. With the aid of deer milk and wooden comb they work the skins until they become as soft and me as if tanned by modern methods. The tepees arc usually full of skins ready to be made into clothing. and other skins for mats, harness and for trad ing.
 Modern "happers' would envy the Uriankhai winter dress, when the tribesmen and women are entirely clothed in furs. Sable. lynx and roe deer cover the Uriankhai's body while their boots are usually of roe tclr vh hats of the natives are made of black astrakhan turned inside out and cov- cred with colored cloth. A leather belt from which hang Russian knife and a Chinese pipe. complete the Uriankhai outfit The young girls dress like the men but the married women wear longer and looser gar ments. In the summer they don loose fitting garments of blue cloth acquired from Chinese traders.
 Trade Furs For Luxurlcs
 Perhaps few nomad tribes moye-as little as the Uriankhai. Only twice a year they roll up the bark tepee covers and seek new camping grounds. Their wanderings are at the convenience of their reindeer herds. In the summer the valley forests become too hot. so the tribes men seek higher ground.
 Unlike most nomad peoples, the Uriankhai have no enemies because the natural difficulties of their val ley have kept them almost untouch- ed Inv outside inf1ucnce
 In the autumn. while the women break camp and move back into the valley, the men hunt for hides for the winter trading season. From the Russians and Chinese they get tea. sugar, wheat flour. tobacco, snuff and other luxuries. Sometimes . few weeks of hunting will net enough fox, roe deer, glutton and snow leopard hides to buy a years supply of luxuries and pay the tribute demanded by their chieftains and the Russian government.