Prayer by wind-power--Photography under difficulties--A night of
misery--Drying up--Two lady missionaries--Their valuable work--An
interesting dinner party--An "eccentric" man's tea party.
[Illustration: SHRINE AND FLYING PRAYERS]
TO reach Shosha I had to climb a further three miles, which proved almost
as steep as the previous ascent to Pungo.
A curious custom of praying by wind-power, probably borrowed from the
Tibetans, prevails among the Shokas. The Tibetans, with a more intense
religion than the Shokas, use for this purpose not only the wind but even
water to propel their praying machines. Let me explain these simple
mechanical contrivances for prayers. One or more rags or pieces of cloth,
usually white, but on occasions red or blue, are fastened and hung by one
end to a string stretched across a road, a pass, or a path. On crossing a
pass for the first time Shokas invariably cut a strip of cloth and place
it so that it will flap in the breeze. Also when materials for a new
dress are purchased or manufactured, it is customary for them to tear off
a narrow strip of the stuff and make a flying prayer of it. As long as
there is motion in it there is prayer, so that the natives tie them very
fast to sticks, poles, or branches of trees; and certain shrubs and trees
in weird romantic spots on the mountains are covered with these religious
signs. Moreover, on the top of nearly every Shoka dwelling a vast number
of similar little flags can be seen, as well as near their shrines and at
the outer gates of a village.
I put up at the Titela Daramsalla, one mile above Shosha village. The
weather had been threatening for several days, and a steady downpour came
upon us during the evening. Work had been accumulating daily. I decided
to develop the large number of plates I had taken on my journey, a job
hateful beyond measure when you are on the move. Having duly unpacked all
the developing dishes and prepared the different solutions, I set to work
to make the shelter completely dark. The next important item required was
water, and of this there was plenty in that wretched shanty! I had just
developed half-a-dozen negatives, and was delighted at the excellent
results, when, in consequence of the storm having grown more violent, the
rain began dripping on my head through the leaky roof of the Daramsalla.
To move all the trays of developers, baths, and fixing solution would
have been a nuisance; besides, I was too interested in my work to be put
out by such small trifles, so I patiently stood this new discomfort. I
shifted my position continually, merely with the result that the rain
dripped alternately on my back, my legs, or my shoulders, according to my
position. It fell in torrents, and the roof over me was so leaky that I
might as well have been out in the open. I was sitting in a pool of water
and could not lay my hands upon anything that was not drenched.
Fortunately my boxes and cases were water-tight, or all the instruments
and plates would have been damaged.
Annoying as it was, I had to give up work. The best thing to do was to go
to sleep. Easier said than done. My bedding and blanket were soaked. The
attempts to lie under a waterproof sheet failed, for I felt suffocated,
so I passed the cover to my servant, who, rolling himself in it, was soon
in the arms of Morpheus. Tired and disgusted, I crouched myself up and
eventually fell asleep. I woke up in the morning with a biting pain in my
toes. I had been lying face downwards, and had involuntarily stretched my
legs during the night. I discovered to my horror that one foot rested in
the developing bath and the other in the fixing solution, which I had
forgotten to empty out of the large celluloid trays.
The morning was spent in drying up things in the sun, including our
clothes, while we, clad in a "_doti_" (large loin-cloth as used by the
natives of India), squatted down in the warmth in order to restore our
saturated skins to their natural condition.
I was in the meantime interviewed by many Shokas, applying for medicines,
and wishing to sell their native wares.
A pretty girl, from whom I bought a curious set of neck hangings made of
musk-deer teeth, wished to be cured of the _goître_, a complaint too
common, alas! on these hills. Then a child was brought with a nasty
tumour in a state of suppuration inside his left ear. Others wished to be
cured of pains in the stomach and liver, which are very general among
them owing to their abuse of liquor.
Upon hearing that two lady missionaries lived a mile and a half farther
on, at Sirka, I gave myself the pleasure of calling upon them. They
possessed a nice bungalow at an elevation of 8900 feet above sea level,
by the side of which was another structure for the accommodation of
converts and servants. Lower on the hillside they had built a dispensary
and hospital.
[Illustration: WRINKLED SHOKA]
I was received with the utmost courtesy by Miss Sheldon, M.D., and Miss
Brown, of the Methodist Episcopal Mission. I have in my lifetime met with
many missionaries of all creeds in nearly every part of the globe, but
never has it been my luck before to meet two such charming, open-minded,
and really hard-working ladies as the two who now so kindly received me.
"Come right in, Mr. Landor," said Miss Sheldon with her delightful
American accent, and she shook hands with me in a good, hearty fashion.
The natives had praised to me the charity and helpfulness of this lady.
I found this more than justified. By night or day she would never refuse
help to the sick, and her deeds of kindness which became known to me are
far too numerous to detail in these pages. Perhaps her most valuable
quality is her perfect tact--a quality I have found none too common among
missionaries. Her patience, her kindly manner towards the Shokas, her
good heart, the wonderful cures she wrought among the sick, were items of
which these honest mountaineers had everlasting praises to sing. A Shoka
was telling me that it was not an uncommon thing for Miss Sheldon to give
away all her own food supplies, and even the clothes from her
back--courting for herself discomfort, yet happy in her good work.
With it was combined a charming modesty. No word about herself or her
actions ever passed her lips. A pioneer in these parts, she evidently
must have encountered much difficulty in the beginning. At present her
good influence over the Shokas is very considerable. The same can be said
of Miss Brown, who was in every way a worthy comrade of Miss Sheldon.
[Illustration: LAL SING TOKUDAR AND HIS BROTHER]
They have both in a comparatively short time become fully acquainted with
the Shoka language, and can converse in it as fluently as in English,
this fact alone endearing them greatly to the natives.
They were kind enough to ask me to dinner. "It is Sunday," said Miss
Sheldon, "and we shall have all our Christians dining with us. You will
not mind, I am sure."
I assured her that nothing would interest me more.
I arrived punctually at the hour appointed, and on the verandah of the
bungalow were laid some nice clean mats upon which we all sat
cross-legged in native fashion. We three Europeans were provided with
knife and fork, but all the natives helped themselves with their fingers,
which they used with much dexterity. There were among the converts some
Hindoos, some Shokas, some Humlis, and a Tibetan woman. All counted, I
suppose they were about twenty, and it would be impossible to find a
better behaved set of Christians anywhere. They ate heartily and only
spoke when they were spoken to.
"I doubt whether I have ever dined with so many good Christians," said I
jokingly to Miss Sheldon. "It is delightful."
"They would much like to hear some of the experiences of your travels if
you would be kind enough to tell them. That is to say, if you are not too
tired and do not mind."
Interpreted by Miss Brown, I related some of my adventures in the country
of the Ainu. Rarely have I had such an interested audience. When the
story ended they all salaamed me, and an old veteran Gourkha, one of the
converts, took my hand and shook it warmly.
"You must not mind, Mr. Landor: you see, we treat our Christians like
ourselves,"[4] quickly interrupted Miss Sheldon.
"Oh no, I do not mind," I replied. "On the contrary, I am glad to see it
done."
I took my leave and asked the ladies to come to tea with me the next day.
The afternoon came and they arrived, when to my horror it flashed across
my mind that I had neither cups, nor saucers, nor spoons. I had some tea,
but I had no idea in which box it was, and to save my life I could not
lay my hands upon it. This caused a frank and delightful remark on the
part of Miss Sheldon to Miss Brown.
"Does not Mr. Landor remind you of 'that other' eccentric gentleman that
came through here last year?"
The moment she had uttered the words Miss Sheldon saw what she had said,
and we all laughed heartily.
"You know, Mr. Landor," put in Miss Brown, "we half foresaw that you
would not be provided with these articles of luxury, and we brought our
own cups and saucers."
The news was a great relief to me.
"Well now, let me persuade you to take some delicious chocolate instead
of tea."
"Very good, we would prefer it. We have not had chocolate for a long
time."
[Illustration: HOUSE OF A WEALTHY SHOKA]
A solid block of chocolate was produced weighing twenty-eight pounds, and
Chanden Sing set to chip off bits with a stone--a primitive but effective
method. In the meantime the kettle was boiling, while my two visitors
made themselves as comfortable as was possible under the circumstances on
pack-saddle cases.
The tea party went off well, for the ladies, evidently suspecting the
"eccentricity" of their host, had come provided not only with cups and
saucers, but with spoons, cake, bread, butter, and biscuits!
[4] N.B.--Anglo-Indians very rarely condescend to shake hands with the
natives.