LIFE AMONG THE PEOPLE OF EASTERN TIBET 



305 



Salt is so important to the Tibetans 

 that in some parts of the country it is a 

 medium of exchange. Its production con- 

 stitutes an industry of considerable conse- 

 quence in some of the valleys of the east- 

 ern border region, particularly at Yen- 

 gin, where salt water may be obtained 

 from shallow wells. 



SAI/T WATER IS EVAPORATED ON MUD 

 ROOFS 



Flat roofs of mud, beaten on to a car- 

 pet of small poles supported by larger 

 poles, are constructed. Along the edges 

 raised rims are built. The beating or 

 puddling makes the mud surfaces practi- 

 cally impervious to water. Women carry 

 kegs of salt water on their backs to the 

 roofs, climbing up notched poles that 

 serve as ladders. The water is poured 

 on the flat surfaces and evaporated by 

 the wind. 



After the water has disappeared the 

 thin film of dry salt left on the roofs is 

 collected, but not, it should be added, 

 without considerable quantities of dirt 

 and grit which are swept up with it. 



Apparently the natives do not object 

 to the dirt, for the salt, as it comes from 

 the roofs, is carried as an article of com- 

 merce all over eastern Tibet. It is very 

 cheap at the wells, but becomes progres- 

 sively dear as the distance increases. In 

 the remote districts the price of the salt 

 becomes almost prohibitive and it is 

 eagerly sought after. The salt produced 

 near Batang is used by the staff of the 

 American mission, but the precaution is 

 taken to refine it by dissolving it, allowing 

 the tiny stones and mud to settle, and boil- 

 ing down the clear salt solution. 



"one person, one garment" 



The Tibetans are almost wholly inde- 

 pendent of the outside world in the mat- 

 ter of clothing materials, and this is 

 especially true of the nomads and village 

 folk. The great majority of the nomads 

 wear garments of raw sheepskin. Nor is 

 their wardrobe more extensive than the 

 variety of its materials. The usual rule 

 is one person, one garment. 



The sheepskin garments are made with 

 the wool inside. A single garment will 

 last for years, and naturally in the course 

 of time comes to have other inhabitants 

 than its owner. In warm weather the 



Photograph by Dr. A. E. Shelton 



HE IS 78 YEARS OED, BUT HE IS CARRYING 



IOO POUNDS OE TEA EROM YACHOW 



TO TACHIENEU, SZECHUAN 



Sometimes as much as 280 catties (370 

 pounds) are carried across these mountain 

 passes by a Chinese coolie. Often boys 12 to 

 15 years old are seen carrying as much as 75 

 pounds for days at a time. 



wearers of the sheepskins throw the top 

 part of the garment off and go about 

 naked to the waist, or, removing one arm, 

 permit the skin gown to hang from the 

 other. 



The women among the nomads spin 

 the wool from their flocks on a rude spin- 



