i66 A NATURALIST IN WESTERN CHINA 



or black pudding-basin-shaped felt hat. Those living near 

 Chinese settlements and the highways have their head in part 

 shaven, and wear their hair in a queue Chinese fashion. On 

 holiday occasions their garments are brightened with red 

 bordering, and high felt boots are worn. The women are 

 short in stature (about 5 feet), sturdy and buxom, somewhat 

 gipsylike, with dark olive complexions, and when young are 

 often good looking. Their ordinary outer dress is a garment 

 of grey native serge of no definite shape, reaching to just 

 below the knee and bound around the waist with a scarf. 

 The legs and feet are bare or encased in top-boots. Commonly 

 they go bare-headed with their long black hair parted down 

 the middle and hanging down the back in one large plait. 

 They are fond of large bangles, ear-rings, etc., made of silver 

 inlaid with turquoise and coral. On festive occasions 

 garments edged with red and very often made of blue cloth 

 are worn. The more wealthy dames decorate themselves very 

 lavishly with silver ornaments, and wear covering their heads 

 a piece of cloth held down by means of their large plait of hair, 

 which is wound around and decorated with silver and beads 

 of coral and tui-quoise ; the lower part of the piece of cloth 

 hangs free over the back of the neck and shoulders. These 

 dames are women of character, and have a ruling voice in 

 household and family matters generally ; also, from what I 

 saw of them, they appear to conduct most of the business. 

 These women lead a strenuous life ; they cultivate the fields, 

 tend the flocks, take the farm produce to market, hew wood, 

 and carry water. The domestic duties of cooking, making 

 and mending clothes and general household work devolve 

 upon the men. Yet the women are not unkindly treated, 

 and are far from being down-trodden. Being of cheerful 

 disposition, they seem well suited to the free outdoor life they 

 lead, and laugh and sing as they ply their task. Among 

 themselves these people are frank and easy in manner, and the 

 women enjoy a freedom of position unknown amongst the 

 Chinese. A party of dames and men were fellow-travellers 

 with me once for a couple of days. When the time came to 

 separate they made merry over cups of wine ; the women 

 officiated, and cordially invited me to join them. With their 



