114 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



the fields, when it is all collected into a big heap and left to ferment 

 there from a fortnight to three weeks, after which it is spread over 

 the land. 



The larger houses have one or more wings and a veranda. The 

 floor forming the roof is made in the same way as the other, only there 

 is an addition of cow-dung to the mud instead of planks, and the plas- 

 ter thus made is beaten for days with sticks to make it amalgamate, as 

 in India. All cracks, as the plaster dries, are carefully filled up with 

 fresh plaster till the whole is a good solid roof and floor combined, and 

 very well adapted for thrashing. 



The common-room is the kitchen on the first floor in which they 

 all sleep, with their heads toward the fireplace, never with their feet 

 toward the fire, as that is considered an insult or affront in their eti- 

 quette. In summer they sleep on the roof. 



The Thibetans who live in the valleys are not as a rule fine men 

 physically, but the highlanders, or hill-men, such as the shepherds, 

 etc., up in the high Thibetan mountains, are massive beaux hommes, 

 having somewhat the appearance of having been hewed out of solid 

 blocks. 



The people of the valleys are more or less idle gossips, disliking 

 work intensely. The men do no work in the fields except plowing, 

 and few who can afford to pay another to do it for them will do even 

 that much. When not in repose — i. e., when not absolutely doing 

 nothing — the men occupy themselves by sewing, spinning, looking 

 after the mules, horses, and cattle, but above all in attending to the 

 petty business of the family. The women sow, irrigate, weed, cut the 

 harvest, thrash, winnow, carry the grain to the granary, and do all the 

 housework as well. If there are loads to be carried, the women carry 

 them. If a man be asked to carry a big case or heavy load, he is cer- 

 tain, on seeing it, to say at once, " That ! that's a woman's load," and 

 of the baggage he will select the smallest parcel he can find as his 

 burden. In the pasturages, the women milk, make the butter, and look 

 after the flocks when these are grazing near the tents or encampment. 

 The men herd the flocks when grazing at a distance. The women ride 

 as well as the men, and in the same fashion. From constantly throw- 

 ing stones at the cattle the women are adepts at this, and can and do 

 make it very unpleasant for any person who may have irritated them 

 into putting their science into practice. Dirt is the ruling feature 

 everywhere in Thibetan households. It pervades their houses and 

 their persons, prevails in their customs, and gives a tone to and bears 

 fruit in their speech. 



A European, an English oflicial in India, once desiring to see the 

 real color of the Thibetan skin, paid the parents of a child to have it 

 washed in hot water, several waters, and with an unlimited supply of 

 soap. Every effort was made in vain, the skin could not be reached 

 through such an armor-plating of dirt. It is said with every show of 



