OP THE II UMA N FAMILY. 441 



principles of the system. Fourtlily, the relationship of cousin is iinknown. Fifthly, 

 the children of brothers, of sisters, and of brothers and sisters, are all alike brothers 

 and sisters to each other. Sixthly, the several collateral lines are ultimately merged 

 in the lineal, by means of which remote consanguinei are brought within the fold 

 of the near relationships. And lastly it is a classificatory system.* 



2. Karens. The Karen language, which is now spoken in nine dialects, is an 

 uncultivated speech, except that it has been reduced to a written form by the 

 American missionaries. The people are subdivided into a number of tribes, and 

 the area of their occupation extends beyond the boiuidaries of the Tenasserim 

 province into Burravh, into Siam, and even into the southern part of China; but 

 this occupation is not continuous. They are a rude, but gentle and teachable 

 people, and are without nationality.^ 



' The Burmese have a strong resemblance to the American Indians. It is seen in the color of 

 the skin the character and color of the hair, and in the eyes. In their features and in the shape of 

 the head the resemblance fails. I met a Burmese accidentally in a railway car, and upon asking him 

 to what Indian nation he belonged, was surprised to be informed, in good English, that he was a 

 Burmese. He is now a student in Madison University. 



" The following general descriptiou of the Karens from the pen of the second ^[rs. Judson, a-.? thty 

 appeared about the year 1830, when the now venerable Dr. Francis Mason and Dr Jonathan Wade 

 founded the American missions amongst them, furnishes an interesting picture of this singular people_ 

 "The Karens," she says, "are a meek, peaceful race, simple and credulous, with many of the softer 

 virtues, and few flagrant vices. Though greatly addicted to drunkenness, extremely filthy and indo- 

 lent in their habits, their morals, in other respects, are superior to many civilized races. Their 

 traditions, like those of several tribes of American Indians, are a curious medley of truth and 

 absurdity ; but they have some tolerably definite ideas of the Great Being who governs the universe ; 

 and many of their traditionary precepts bear a striking resemblance to those of the gospel. They 

 have various petty superstitions; but, with the exception of a small division, known to the Burmans 

 as the Talingkarens, and to the missionaries as the Pwos or Shos, they have never adopted Boodhism ; 

 the oppressive treatment which they have received at the hands of their Burmese rulers probably 

 contributing to increase their aversion to idolatry. 



" Soon after the arrival of the first Burmese missionary [Dr. Judson] in Rangoon, his attention was 

 attracted by small parties of strange wild-looking men, clad in unshapely garments, who from time 

 to time straggled past his residence. He was told that they were called Karens ; that they were 

 more numerous than any other similar tribe in the vicinity, and as untamable as the wild cow of the 

 mountains. He was further told that they shrunk from association with other men, seldom entering 

 a town, except on compulsion ; and that, therefore, any attempt to bring them within the sphere of 

 his influence would prove unsuccessful. His earnest inquiries, however, awakened an interest in the 

 minds of the Burmese converts ; and one of them, finding, during the war, a poor Karen bond-ser- 

 vant in Rangoon, paid his debt, and thus became, according to the custom of the country, his tem- 

 porary master. When peace was restored, he was brought to the missionaries on the Tenasserim 

 coast, and instructed in the principles of the Christian religion. He eventually became the subject 

 of regenerating grace, and proved a faithful and efficient evangelist. Through this man, who will 

 be recognized as Ko-thah-byu, access was gained to others of his countrymen, and they listened with 

 ready interest. They were naturally docile : they had no long-cherished prejudices and time-honored 

 customs to fetter them ; and their traditions taught them to look for the arrival of white-faced 

 foreigners from the west, who would make them acquainted with the true God. Tlie missionaries, 

 in their first communications with the Karens, were obliged to employ a Burmese interpreter ; and 

 notwithstanding the disadvantages under which they labored, the truth spread with great rapidity. 

 Soon, however, Messrs. Wade and Mason devoted themselves to the acquisition of the language, and 

 the former conferred an inestimable boon on the race by reducing it to writing. This gave a fresh 

 56 AprU, 1870. 



