Tregear. — Inaugural Address. 611 



to the parting ceremonies. One of his nearest connections 

 places his foot against the old man's back and strangles him 

 with a thong. This seems to be a dreadful custom, but as 

 death from starvation is everywhere around it is more excus- 

 able than in a community where food is plentiful. The height 

 of these Indians is greater than that of the ordinary Esqui- 

 maux, some of them reaching 6 ft. in stature ; they are slim, 

 wiry, and strong. They are good shots with the rifle, expert 

 sailors, and clever hunters, and, like most primitive peoples 

 that lead a hardy life, they have a horror of dying in bed, 

 believing, like the old Norsemen, that a death by violence 

 insures eternal happiness. 



The mention of cannibalism suggests that few people are 

 aware that in parts of China cannibalism is sometimes prac- 

 tised. In Dr. Sven Hedin's paper on " Four Years' Travel in 

 Central Asia," read last November before the Eoyal Geo- 

 graphical Society, he speaks as follows : " When the Dungan 

 village To-ba, which has a strongly fortified position between 

 Ten-kar and Si-ning, had held out for several months it was 

 obliged to surrender, but it did so on the condition that its 

 inhabitants should be allowed to leave the town unmolested. 

 The Chinese accepted the proposal, but required the inhabit- 

 ants of the town to stack their weapons. This was hardly 

 done before the Dungans were attacked and killed to the last 

 man. The populace howled like wild animals when General 

 Ho's soldiers came back from their campaign with Mahom- 

 medan prisoners, who were triumphantly led in chains 

 through the streets of Si-ning to Djen-tai-jamen to receive 

 judgment, which was soon forthcoming. They were led out 

 again, and outside the gate their throats were cut with dull 

 knives. Then the chest of each was opened and the heart and 

 liver stuck on spear-points, and thus carrying these trophies 

 to the nearest eating-house the soldiers had them fried and 

 then ate them up. The Chinese believe that if they eat the 

 hearts and livers of their enemies their courage will be trans- 

 ferred to themselves. 



A very curious little race of people has been discovered by 

 Messrs. Olifsen and Filipsen, Danish officers, who have made 

 an expedition to the Pamirs. The race in question is of 

 exceedingly small stature, and their dwarfish habit extends to 

 the lower animals in their possession. The oxen are about 

 the size of donkeys, the donkeys no bigger than dogs, the 

 goats and sheep of the most diminutive description. This 

 peculiarity probably arises from the absence of nutriment on 

 those high and barren lands. This people is badly armed; they 

 are mere savages, and their rehgion is a species of fire worship. 



Colonel Feilden has made an interesting exploring voyage 

 to the little-known Island of Novaya Zemlya. There is litile 



