In the Sal Forests* 209 



lobes and outer edges of his ears perforated to an alarming 

 extent, and hung all round with a perfect bushel of brass 

 rings. 



A small-sized postage stamp would be a most effective 

 substitute for the clothing of many of these weird people, 

 but rings and beads they must have. A really ' rich ' 

 Mariah simply coruscates with glass and tinsel ornamenta- 

 tion, especially, as I have said, in the region of the ears ; 

 while a village dandy will affect a ' gem ' or two bound 

 over the forehead. Their physique is good, though most 

 are small ; and rarely is a dark-coloured Mariah seen. 

 Their skins are wonderfully fair, in some cases as light in 

 tint as that of a fair Brahman. 



The women appear to wear even less, if possible, than 

 the men, and are not loaded with beads, etc. Instead 

 of this they are much tattooed all over. Extraordinary 

 patterns are engraved on their faces, in some cases causing 

 the most ludicrous exaggerations of expression. They are 

 apparently extremely timid, and the sight of a horse 

 a mythical creature to them sends the poor things darting 

 off like deer into their great protector the dense jungle. 

 In the villages however they will walk past quite close 

 without evincing any nervousness. My kodak films failed 

 me, and so, to my regret, I have no snapshots of these ladies. 



The Marians are distinctly interesting therefore, and we 

 soon discovered that they possessed sterling qualities 

 of honesty and truthfulness, while their willingly given 

 services were a pleasure to receive. Aborigines they may 

 be, but they are very different to the aborigine of whom 

 one forms a mental picture. 



Of the Indian buffalo there are two varieties, which 

 differ slightly enough as to have received at the hands of 

 the naturalist the separable designations speiroceros and 



27 



