184. 



THE LIVING RACES OF MANKIND 



In colour they vary greatly, the copper tints being most common. The hair is black and 

 straight or wavy, as everywhere in India. They carry themselves very well. Many have high 

 noses and oval faces, and some of the young girls have delicate and regular features, finely 

 chiselled straight noses, and perfectly formed mouths and chins. However, the eyes (dark 

 brown) are seldom so large, so bright, and so gazelle-like as those of pure Hindu maidens. 

 There are also traces of some fusion with the Mongols of the North (see illustrations on 

 pages 183 and 185). The M.irzapur Kols appear to have lost all recollection of the sun-god 

 revered by the Mundas of Bengal. Still, they venerate the sun. The Kols worship demons 

 and spirits, whom they greatly fear, and the souls of the dead. 



THE JUANGS OF ORISSA. 



IN the Tributary States of Orissa there is a poor tribe of Juangs (also Kolarian), or Patuas 

 (literally the "leaf- wearers"), whose women wear no clothes, but only a few strings of beads 

 round the waist, and a bunch of leaves tied in front and behind. Her Majesty's Government, 

 shocked at this state of things, gave orders in 1871 that those under British influence should 

 be clothed. The English officer therefore called the tribe together, made a speech on the 

 subject of clothes, and then handed out strips of cotton for the women to put on! Obediently 

 they passed before him in single file, to the number of 1,900, made obeisance as a sign of 

 their submission, and were afterwards marked on the forehead with vermilion. But this enforced 

 submission to the great Mrs. Gruudy was not a success, for before long many of the Juaug 

 women had gone back to their leaves. These people, until quite lately, had no knowledge of 

 metals, and may be regarded as a relic from the Stone Age. An officer who knew them well 

 said their huts were the smallest ever deliberately constructed as dwellings. The head of the 

 family and all the females huddle together in one hut about 6 feet by 8 feet in area. The 

 boys and young men live in a separate building. 



THE BIIILS. 



THE Bhils (also Kolarian) are of small stature, slender, and very dark, but possessing great 



agility and strength. Robbery 

 and war are their delight. As 

 thieves they still keep their 

 old reputation for adroitness. 

 Many tales are told illustrating 

 their wonderful skill in this 

 art, so widely practised in India. 

 They have been known to steal 

 the blanket from under a 

 sleeping man. although warned 

 that the attempt would be 

 made! Naked and oiled all 

 over, they move about without 

 making any noise, and it is 

 no easy matter to lay hold of 

 them. They are very clever at 

 hiding, and cases are on record 

 in which they have escaped 

 capture when pursued by adopt- 

 ing what naturalists call " pro- 

 tective mimicry." Their plan 

 when thus pressed is to throw 

 their black sinewy limbs into 

 such attitudes that they are 



(by 



of frit 



From " Tli.e I'rimitive Tribes qf the AV</;/;M.S" by J. H. 

 Under-Sea etary of State for Imliii). 



TWO IROLAS (FHOM THE LEFT), TWO BADAGAS, TWO TODAS, TWO KOTAS, 

 AND TWO KURUMBAS. 



