OCR Text |
Show I tSADDIS OF THE HIMALAYAS Tribe of Nomad Shepherds Whoie Very Origin Is Matter of Conjecture. ' Far away In tho central Himalayas lives a trlbo of nomad shepherds -whoso very origin Is n matter of com Jecturo. They aro known as Qaddls, I and aro a distinctly separate from the other tribes of theso mountains as are tho Alnos from tho Japanese. They were once dwellers In the plains, but at somo remote period were drhen to "F3!) the hills, and they are now confined to tho western Hlmnlajns, nhero there nro extensive grazing grounds Here they are pnrtly tillers of the soil, as well as shepherds, for their women folk, who do not accompany the Hocks, work In the fields, nnd some of the men nlso remain In the villages to assist as-sist them, They are fine hardy men, theho find-m find-m dls, nnd their women aro sometimes beautiful. They scorn the use of tents or shelters of any kind, and prolded only with n blanket of gonfs hair, which thoy make themselves, nnd which Is practically waterproof, one and all of them remain for months together, to-gether, at altitudes vnrjlng from 13,. 000 to 17,000 feet, oxposed to snow, wind and rain, without nny 111 effect to their health. It must bo remembered, remem-bered, how over, that tney are trained to It, for tho boys, at a eiy early age, are mado to accompany their f ithers In their wnnduilngs, Wldo World |