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210
EAST ASIA.
The lamas are the true masters of the land. Relatively
more numerous
even than those of Tibet itself, they own fully one-half of the soil, the finest herds
of yaks and sheep, and multitudes of slaves employed as shepherds or husbandmen.
The practice of usury has even rendered them the real proprietors of the lands
cultivated by the laity. Membership is easily acquired in these religious com-
munities of Sechuen. The fulfilment of a vow, the fear of vengeance, the desire to
escape the imposts, any pretext will serve to gain admission as a novice, and
thus gradually acquire all the privileges enjoyed by the confraternity.
But while the lamas are thus placed above the law and exempt from taxes
of all sorts, the common people are all the more ruinously oppressed, and the
imposts, distributed over a continually decreasing number of families, have already
become almost unbearable. During the last hundred years the population subject
to taxation has diminished fully to one-half, especially through migration
to Yunnan ; the country is covered with ruined houses and hamlets, certain
districts have even been entirely depopulated, and extensive cultivated tracts have
reverted to the condition of forest or pasture lands.
The still half-savage Tibetan tribes of the North Sechuen highlands are
commonly designated collectively by the name of Si-Fan, or " Western Strangers."
Clothed in skins or coarse woollen garments, and with their dishevelled locks
falling in disorder over their shoulders, the Si-Fan present a ferocious appearance
to the cultured Chinese of the plains. Yet they are far less formidable than
they seem, and the stranger seeking hospitality amongst them never fails to meet
with a friendly welcome. Lamaism has been introduced to a limited extent into
their social system, and their priests possess books written in the Tangut character.
Those of the Upper Hoang-ho, like many other wild tribes of the interior, and like
many Chinese themselves, fancy 'that the Europeans can penetrate with their
glance to vast depths in the land and water. They can also fly over the hills, and
if they cross the plains on foot it is because they would be encumbered in their
flight by the pack animals which they cannot dispense with. The chief of Sining
asked Prjevalsky's interpreter whether it was true that his master was able to see
the precious stones sparkling 250 feet below the surface of the earth.
THE MANTZE, LOLO, AND CHINESE OF SECHUEN.
Northwards the Si-Fan come in contact with the Amdoans, while towards the
south and south-west they border on other tribes also of Tibetan origin, commonly
known as Mantze, or " Indomitable Vermin." But the tribes which understand the
meaning of this word reject it as an opprobrious term, and claim to be called I-jen ;
that is, " Different People," or " Strangers." One of these tribes, the Sumu, or
" White Mantze," dwelling on the banks of the Luhoa-ho, a western tributary of
the Min, numbers, according to Gill, as many as 3,500,000 souls, living on agricul-
ture and stock-breeding. But however this be, there can be no doubt that the
Mantze form a considerable element in the population of West China. Politically
distinct from the surrounding tribes, the Mantze of Sechuen are grouped in