FROM TALI TO TSEKOU 



with a silver button on the top ; behind this button is fastened 

 a silver-studded band from which hang down behind the ears 

 a pair of scalloped ear-rings, also silver, larger than walnuts. 

 This ornament is only worn by married women, and is presented 

 to them by their husbands on the birth of a child. Young 

 girls have only the band without the rings. As great value 

 is set upon these trinkets, which are handed down from 

 generation to generation, they are difficult to obtain. In the 

 rest of their dress they, too, follow the Chinese, with the 

 exception of the wife of the inokoita (Mosso, king), who has 

 an elaborate and pretty costume. Over the shoulders is 

 flung a black sheep-skin fringed with a pound or two of silver 

 bangles, and little bells and bits of glass at the waist. The 

 head-dress is identical in shape with that of the common women, 

 but the ornaments are of gold. A silken jacket with silver 

 and coral buttons and a green skirt complete the effect. 



The Mosso worship is that of spirits. Carved posts, on 

 which a frequent design is an eye, are set up at the entry of 

 the villages to avert evil, and to the same intent within the 

 houses a pillar is planted in the centre with branches, in.scribed 

 bamboos, and small flags round it. The tradition of the 

 Deluge is known to them. Wizards they have ; often made in 

 spite of themselves by common consent if thought to possess 

 the proper qualifications for scaring evil spirits, to which must 

 be added the art of healing ; for in the event of failure the elect 

 of the people is occasionally slain. On the first dav of the 

 year a feast is held at which pig fattened on peaches is sacrificed, 

 and nothing but Mosso talked ; if any Thibetans are in the 

 village they are excluded. The medicine-man only makes his 

 appearance once on such an occasion, to stamp a white moon 



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