Evening Republican, Volume 20, Number 306, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 December 1916 — IN WILD SOUTH CHINA [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

IN WILD SOUTH CHINA

THE PROVINCE of Kuangsi, South China, was originally thfe home of uncivilized tribes called by the Chinese “wild men,” and their homes “barbarism caves.” These aboriginal tribesmen are scattered freely through nearly all parts of the province, but occupy principally the great north and northwest sections. If we draw a line across the map Just west of Kueilin in the north and Nanking in the south, we will find that with the exception of Lungchow on the Annamese border, by far the greater half of the province has no established Christian work whatever. In this neglected region there are numerous walled cities, market towns and villages, all teeming with human life. The great majority of the inhabitants of these vast regions are aborigines, variously called Miao, Yao, Tung and Chuang. These tribes have so intermarried with the Chinese that they have adopted most of the latter’s customs, including mode of dress, but retain their own form of speech, which, though monosyllabic, is still quite distinct from the Chinese language. Some of these tribesmen are met with in great numbers along the road leading to Tlnglinkai. The scenery along this route is beautiful, indeed, writes a Lluchowbu correspondent of the North Darby Mail. In places one must walk for hours high up on the mountain side, while 50 feet below rushes a foaming mountain stream. The valley is narrow and on either side tower huge granite mountains, wooded almost to the summit with a stunted growth of fir, while far below by the gurgling stream the slender bamboos grouping shyly together, bend gracefully over the rushing waters. The path is a tortuous one, winding in and out round the many bends. Here and there a homestead can be seen guarding a small section of terraced paddy fields, while to secure irrigation to his little farm the ingenious settler has to run hollow bamboo pipes from a mountain spring, thus conveying the crystal water to his home first, and then from terrace to terrace all the way down the mountain side, irrigating each small field. These people belong to the Yao tribe. They have no written language of their own. Those who have had any schooling whatever have studied the Chinese characters and can speak a broken Mandarin as well as their own dialect The dress of the men is like that of the Chinese, but the women’s dress differs somewhat Tlieir Mouses, instead of buttoning on the right side, Chinese style, come together :n the front, and meet at the neck n a sort of sailor collar. Some of the vomen wear high-crowned hats, gay>y colored and profusely ornamented jy numerous strings of beads that hang ibout the shoulders and down the sack. Others have a flat, thin cloth* covered board on tlieir heads made in i sort of “Mother Hubbard” bonnet. Still others of the poorest classes simply wrap their heads with a long blue ;loth. As the tribe lives exclusively in the mountain regions, where rice cannot >e cultivated in large quantities, their liet consists for the most part of corn, maize and other grains, with a plentiful supply of vegetables and sweet potatoes. While extremely shy and reiring, still when once a conversatipg an be entered upon w® found therm very friendly. First Sight of a White Man.' ' On one occasion while traveling in rheir district we had an amusing experience. After traversing the comparatively level road from Linhsi to Shanih we entered a wilder, more iparsely populated section of the county, where the most ordinary food, rach as rice and native vegetables, became our staple fare. We reached a small village about noon, and after partaking of some red-colored rice and some greens we continued our jourley westward. Our path now led us jp a high mountain, and for some ten !i or more we gradually ascended, when, coming suddenly around a bend in the road, we met a number of aboriginal women who were out on the mountain gathering fuel. They had never seen a white man iiefore and evidently did not care to see much of one now. For a moment they stood in amazement and looked it us, but only for a moment; then they dashed off the road and down the mountain side like frightened deer, jnd were soon out of sight among, the wild grass and scrubby fir trees. We stood, both pained and amused; pained

to see them so frightened at ns who were their friends, and yet amused at their “rapid transit” and the speed with which they vanished from view. When we reached the summit of the mountain, we stood and “viewed the landscape o’er.” East, west, north and south, the lofty mountains rose, range beyond range, as far as the eye could see, while the river we had Just left behind could be seen here and there, threading its serpentine way in and out among the foothills. We had begun the descent when “Qld Plum,” the coolie who carried my baggage, while walking round a corner on the narrow path, staggered, lost his balance and fell down the embankment. Man, suitcase, bedding and basket in a tangled mass, went sliding down the mountainside. It looked as if “Old Plum” had a “through ticket” until he slid against a clump of bushes which brought him to a sudden stop. Here the coolie crawled out from under his burden and looked pityingly up at us for help. What a sight! His trousers, not being accus.tomed to that mode of travel, had given way; and with several small bruises on his shins, and his face covered with grime and dirt, he was indeed an object of pity. Fortunately he was not much the assistance of the other carriers he was soon on the path and away with his load. Among the Tung Tribe*. Upon reaching the mountain base we found a compact village nestling among the foothills. The people belonged to another tribe, the Tungs, who, like their neighbors, the Yabs, have their homes among the tribe. The homes the people lived in were all two-story dwellings. The ground floor was used as a cow stable or pig sty, while the people themselves occupy the rooms above. The women wear black kilts. These are made with numerous fine tucks, varying In width and number according to the amount of cloth on band at the time of making. Their limbs were also bound with the same goods or encased in cloth leggings. Their wrists and ankles were ornamented with silver rings, while other rings varying in size and numbering from one to five were hanging around their necks. Their saUorlike blouses were fastened in the front with bright glass or brass buttons, and their feet were adorned with pretty homemade shoes that turned up at the toes.

The Journey to the dty of Kuchow was uneventful. Our road was on an ascending scale, each day climbing higher than the day before, until sometimes the mountain peaks seemed to pierce the blue above. Two days after leaving Linhsl we crossed over the southern table land, after which all streams were found to be flowing northward down through the province of Hunan to join the turbid water of the great Yangtzekiang. Kuchow a Heterogeneous City. As we neared the city our caravan was sighted, and seeing It a small boy was soon scurrying along the street bare-headed, and calling to the people to, “Quick, look, see.” It had the desired effect, for out of every store the crowds poured until we were surrounded by a motley throng, which Increased in numbers as we proceeded. The street was packed with pushing, nulling, surging humanity, each trying to get near enough to peep into our strange faces. This city, in which we rested over Sunday, is the most heterogeneous I have yet passed through. Cantonese and Kuangsi merchants compete with each other in the busy business streets; Hunanese and’Eueichow coot ies jostle against each other in the narrow thoroughfares, while Yao, Miao, Tung and Ling tribesmen bring their various wares here and; sitting down on the river bank outside the city, spread them out for sale. Here were gathered people of all descriptions ; women clad in skirts, and women wearing trousers, old women with their hair done up in a knot, young women wearing showy bracelets, mammoth earrings and silver rings encircling the neck, while the ankles of the more wealthy were also ornamented with the same glittering metal. There were men with queues and men without them; some with heads bound round with cloth, and others with hair done up in a ball and fastened in place with a comb; while here and there among the crowd the Tung men could be distinguished by their wearing earrings in the left ear as a charm tQ ward off misfortune and disease,

AGRICULTURE. IN SOUTH CHINA