782 LHASA AND CENTRAL TIBET. 



Tsamba, or roasted barley flour, mixed with either tea or barle}^ 

 wine, is one of the principal foods. The conniionest vegetable is the 

 radish. The favorite dish among- all classes is "tsamtuk," a soup 

 made by boiling zamba in water and flavored with bits of radish. 

 Tsamtuk is best when made into broth with crushed bones, but it is 

 comparatively expensive, and only the well to do can afl'ord it every 

 day. 



The Til)etans are fond of raw njeat, and when entertaining they 

 serve meat either raw or not fully cooked. The principal meats are 

 yak, mutton, and pig. Beef is not considered good, and ass and horse 

 meat are not used at all. The poor classes also eat fish. We did not 

 see the Tibetans use fowl as food, although they keep chickens for the 

 eggs. Butter is much used, serving principally to whiten or flavor 

 tea, and melted butter is burned in lamps before the idols. Sour milk, 

 prepared also as thib-sho, is regarded as very noble food, and in poetry 

 indicates something pure white. 



Both sexes of all classes are very fond of barley wine, and owing to 

 its cheapness and slight intoxicating properties it constitutes the prin- 

 cipal l)ev('rage of the poor. The men are heav}^ smokers of leaf 

 tobacco in pipes, and the monks, while avoiding the pipe, consume no 

 less tobacco in snufl'. Because of the high cost of tobacco, and to 

 reduc^e its strength, the laymen mix it with the leaves of the plant 

 "shol," and the monks use the ashes of ram and goat dung for that 

 purpose. 



The principal characteristics of the Central Tibetan may be described 

 as stupidity and flattery, doubtlessly explained b}^ the economic and 

 political conditions of the country. They are also pious through fear 

 of losing the protection of the gods or of angering them. On this 

 account thev have frequent sacrifices, bowing and circling before their 

 sanctuaries. They are very impressionable and superstitious, and at 

 each new episode in their lives they seek explanation from Lama seers 

 and prophets, and when sick they prefer to take barley grains blessed 

 by Lamas and prophets, or to have curing prayers read to them, r-ather 

 than resort to medicine, which, by the way, is less developed in Cen- 

 tral Tibet than in Amdo or Mongolia. Despite all, the Tibetans seem 

 to ])e inclined to joviality, which manifests itself in song and dance 

 during their frequent sprees and pul)lic holidays. 



Li their family life polyandry and polygani}^ exist, and the marriage 

 of several brothers to one woman or of several sisters to one man are 

 regarded as ideal relations. * * * Women enjoy perfect freedom 

 and independence and take an active part in business aftairs, often 

 managing extensive enterprises entirely unaided. 



Agriculture is the chief occupation of the settled population. Bar- 

 ley is the standard crop, from which tsamba is prepared; then comes 

 wheat, for wheat fl.our; beans for oil, and peas, used by the poorer 



